Food Security Programs
Our food programs strengthen food security on Gabriola. We aim to provide food to those who need it while fostering social connections, sustainability and good health in our community. We offer a variety of resources, programs and workshops with our partners and team of dedicated volunteers.
* Some deliveries can be arranged for Wednesday if you have barriers to picking up. If you require a grocery delivery please phone 250-247-7322 or email before noon on Wednesday.
Grocery Program
(FoodBank)
The Grocery Program distributes foods to individuals and families in need. This could mean you or a loved one is finding it financially challenging to afford food.
Participants must register for the Grocery Program by contacting 250-247-7322 or food@phcgabriola.org or by dropping in during grocery hours. The registration is quick and confidential, and no one is turned away.
Grocery pick-up is available at People for a Healthy Community (PHC) on:
Tuesdays - 10am - 2pm
Wednesdays - 11am - 4pm
Food Recovery Program
In partnership with Nesters Food Market, this program addresses both food insecurity and food waste. People For a Healthy Community (PHC) collects food products that Nesters Food Market can no longer sell. With the help from our volunteers to sort, package and distribute, this food is, sorted into three categories for redistribution in:
For The People
This food is still fit for people and will make its way back into our programs:
Grocery Program (FoodBank)
Leftover human suitable food is turned into nutritional meals and soups that will help support our:
(for youth and seniors)
For The Animals
Once the food is on the “shall we say” not so pretty side it is offered to a number of our local farmers' to be fed to their animals as another contribution to our local food systems.
If you would like to be on our animal food farmers call list please contact food@phcgabriola.org
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For The Gardens
Yes that’s right! If we can’t eat it, it is composted in People For a Healthy Community’s gardens and used to nourish and fertilize the produce that we grow once again to support our programs:
Supporting Food Security In Our Community
Growing & Harvesting Food
Food Recovery
Food Skills
Feeding Our Community
Did You Know?
On average 40,000lbs of food is recovered in a year
40% Human Food
48% Animal Food
12% Compost Material
We provide opportunities, such as Community Kitchen Workshops, to build food skills for cooking and eating healthier. These workshops strengthen social connections and overall community wellness.
Some of our building food skill program are:
Kids Cooking Classes
Ladies Lunch Club
Men's Dinner Club
Building Food Skills
In partnership with the Gabriola Agricultural Association Co-Op, this program supports both low-income community members and farmers. Low income seniors and families with children under 18 are given free coupons that they can redeem on select items from farmers at the local market.
Currently no longer excepting applications. Please check back for future openings in July.
Farmer's Market Coupon
Good Food Box
Partner program with Nanaimo Foodshare
How it work
1. Order your Good Food Box by Thursday at midnight for the following Thursday pickup at PHC (the Commons building main floor - 675 North Road). *Please select pick-up on Gabriola. 2. Select to register for weekly, bi-weekly, or one-time pick up. If anyone has trouble with the online ordering or prefers to pay cash, they can contact PHC and we'll place our own order of boxes in exchange for cash. 3. Make a payment of $10 to $15 for each box. (Every Good Food Box is filled with 6-9 types of fresh produce and is valued between $20-$25 dollars.) 4. Pick up your boxes the following Thursday in-between 12pm-3pm
Soup Social
Soup Socials provide free or by-donation nutritional meals. This is an event within the community to share a meal which fosters social connection and strengthens relationships among our community in a casual setting. Why not come out to this event and see what interesting conversation you can engage in with your fellow dining neighbor. We hope to see you there!
Tuesday from 11am-1pm at 675 North Road
SUMMER months - at the Commons - Main Floor
Tuesday from 11am-1pm at 775 Church Street
WINTER months - at the Fellowship Church
Friday from 10:30am-12:30pm at 2600 South Road
YEAR-ROUND - at the Christ Church Gabriola
These event is open to everyone in our community as a drop in event
Growing Food in Our Gardens
We grow food for our school and community in garden beds located at the Commons and Namaste Farm. These gardens provide fresh, locally grown produce that improves health and wellness in our community.
As part of the school curriculum during the Fall and Spring the Gabriola Elementary School students help in the garden and learn skills weekly. In these programs students will learn the evolution of growing and caring for plants which will then turn into produce they eat. Students also take part in the harvesting and processing into meals. Students learn food preparation skills and simple nutritious meals and snacks using the produce they grew in the garden.
Growing Food helps with our other program such as:
Produce for our Grocery Program
Building Food Skills Programs (for youth and seniors)
If you are interested in the Grow a Row Program. We look forward to hearing from you.
Did You Know?
310 people ate food using Farmer’s Market Coupons. 100 of those people were under the age of 18.
2022 Statistic Farmer’s Market Coupon Program
Grow A Row
Help feed the need in our community. It's easy! Designate some of your own garden's excess produce or grow an extra row of something in your garden. Pick the produce and bring it to the PHC office. Preferred drop-off days on Tuesday or Wednesday so our volunteers can pack the produce into our Food Grocery program to give away. In some cases produce is frozen and made into meals for the elementary school hot lunch program.
How You Can Help
Ask a Question
Have any additional questions about our Food Security Programs please email us at food@phcgabriola.org.
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