Seva Food Bank will be partnering with the Good Food Organization for 2017 and working with them towards building a healthy and fair food system. As a member of the Good Food Organization, Seva food bank will have access to resources, customized virtual training, annual conferences, good food grants, and a support community of like-minded organizations.
Who are the Good Food Organizations (GFO)?
Good Food Organizations are a collective of organizations that are working toward a healthy and fair food system by offering health-, equity-, and skill-building food programs. As members of a national network coordinated by Community Food Centres Canada, Good Food Organizations share a commitment to reflecting the Good Food Principles in their work.
There are over 100 Good Food Organizations hailing from 10 provinces/territories across Canada. Organizations range from community health centres to food banks to social service agencies to urban farms. All member organizations offer food security programming as a way to build physical and mental health, decrease hunger, and/or increase social inclusion and civic engagement.
What is the Good Food Organizations program?
Through the Good Food Organizations program, Community Food Centre’s Canada supports organizations to increase their capacity to deliver healthy, dignified, and effective food programs. The program offers training, learning resources, grants, and knowledge exchange opportunities.
Who can join the Good Food Organizations program?
Any organization offering food programs can join so long as they are committed to implementing the Good Food Principles. It’s not a certification program, nor is it an exclusive club. Rather, it’s a big tent that’s more about intent and a commitment to putting the Principles into action than about a proven track record. To join the program, organizations must first apply as a way to ensure they are eligible and to demonstrate their commitment to implementing the Good Food Principles in their work. This is done through a self-assessment underpinned by the Good Food Principles, which is used by members to chart their achievements, and to set goals for the future.
What are the Good Food Principles?
Five Good Food Principles are at the core of the Good Food Organizations program. They define the health- and equity-based approach that underpins the work of GFOs and Community Food Centres, and they are the framework by which organizations self-assess. Download the poster in English or French.
In brief, the Good Food Principles are as follows:
Taking action from the individual to the systemic level
Believing and investing in the power of good food
Creating an environment of respect and community leadership
Meeting people where they’re at
Aiming high for our organization and our community
What’s the difference between a Community Food Centre and a Good Food Organization?
CFCC has partnered with select organizations to develop Community Food Centres across Canada. A Community Food Centre (CFC) houses food access, food skills, and community engagement programs under one roof. CFCs tackle the complex issues of poverty, poor health, and social isolation common in low-income communities by alleviating hunger, teaching food skills, and building up people’s confidence to tackle the issues that affect them most. Find out more about the Community Food Centre model and our partner CFCs here.
The Good Food Organizations program is a way for us to apply the resources we have to build capacity and impact with a wider network of organizations. Whereas the criteria to become a CFC are quite specific, we have built a wider tent for Good Food Organizations, welcoming in those who share our commitment to the Good Food Principles but may not want to or are not able to become full-fledged Community Food Centres.
That said, staff at Community Food Centres and Good Food Organizations can (and do) support one another. Exchange between GFOs and CFCs happens through virtual training sessions, our annual conference, and by using our collective voice to speak about the value of our work and the issues affecting our communities.
For more information on the Good Food Organization and the work that they do see link. http://goodfoodorganizations.ca/