MPP Liz Sandals has announced that the Guelph Community Health Centre will receive an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant of $267,300 over 36 months to fund the Seed Community Food Hub Project.
The Seed Community Food Hub Committee is a collaborative initiative, supported by the Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination and involves a number of community partners who came together in 2010 to address issues around food access and security.
“I am thrilled that the Guelph Community Health Centre is receiving a $267,300 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to create the Seed Community Food Hub. The creation of the Food Hub will ensure that Guelph’s Community Food Pantries have a safe reliable supply of healthy food for our most vulnerable citizens,” said Sandals.
Other partners in the collaborative are the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition, Canadian Mental Health Association, City of Guelph, County of Wellington, Family and Children’s Services, Guelph Police, Guelph Wellington Food Roundtable, Hope House, Immigrant Services of Guelph Wellington, Laurier University, Public Health and the University of Guelph.
“This work was a true team effort. We are thrilled that the funding has been approved and we are looking forward to making The Seed a reality so that our community is empowered to address food and hunger issues in a proactive, respectful way,” said Kate Vsetula, co-chair of the Seed Committee.
This investment will support hiring staff, purchasing equipment and creating a community plan for the collection and distribution of healthy food.
Inspired by the Community Food Centre model, the vision for the Seed Community Hub includes commercial kitchen space, community gardens, large scale refrigeration facilities and a delivery truck which will allow them to deliver fresh food to Guelph’s food pantries.
It will also provide education and build skills around healthy eating, cooking, gardening and healthy lifestyles.
The project will increase the quality and quantity of healthy food available to low-income families, improving the health and wellbeing of vulnerable citizens.
