Accessing Healthy Foods Community Discussion

March 31st, 2009 

Discussion Panel Speakers:

Susan Wehrle , Regional Health Authority
             Jeff Coates – Families and Communities Together ( FACT)
             Elaine Bishop – Executive Director, Point Douglas Women’s Centre

Summary of Speakers:        Summary of Discussion

Susan Wehrle:

Jeff Cottes
·        There has been an increase in requests for community gardens and community kitchens in the past two years
Barriers:
·        Licensing protocol for feeding large numbers of people
·        Cost of upgrading kitchens to code

Suggestions:
·        Nutrition network could be developed to integrate a host of issues regarding food security in the north end, ranging from community gardens and kitchens to food-buying co-ops and food bank drop sites
·        Education component is likely necessary to provide information on healthy alternatives
·        Demographics have changed over time and we need to address these changes accordingly
·        Lack of local grocery stores reduce access to healthy affordable food

Elaine Bishop (NPDWC)

Goal: to empower women using a community focus

Barriers:
·      unstable living conditions
·      loss of skills (all ages)
·      lack of transportation
·      community kitchens –mom’s aren’t following through because of dynamics of children ( have the desire- just can’t do it)

Need:
·        an affordable local food store with healthy food choices
·        traditional foods
·        learning how to shop for and cook new foods
·        balance between immediate needs and resources
·        invite  as many as possible to participate through word of mouth or direct contact

Suggestions and information from participants

Wahlea ( LSAWG)
·        Aboriginal feasts are a tradition:  community members cook during these
·        Current unhealthy food choices are largely due to history of lack of fresh fruits and vegetables in Northern Manitoba communities and high cost of nutritious foods. This is similar to experience in North End ( new environment)
·        If people aren’t fed, they can’t go beyond this to improve their lives
·        Any community needs to be asked- be culturally appropriate Eg: Mount Carmel Gardens- LSP wasn’t informed that it was a community garden
·        Feasts and sharing circles help to build community confidence, and are a starting point for including the Aboriginal Community.
·        ‘typical methods’ are surveys , that find the problem is too big, and result in piecemeal attempts to solve the problem that don’t engage the community

Maggie ( Hope Centre)
·        Schools are an important venue for improving nutrition knowledge

Manitoba Food Charter (Paul Chorney)
·        New food policies available on line - new Food Charter -Federal People’s Food Policy

Canadian Diabetes Association
·        Programs are available
·        Manitoba has the highest incidence of diabetes in Canada
 

Future
·        food preparation by community members with ongoing educational component to regain family unit Food Security
·        basic needs must be met
·        cultural protocol must be included
·        mentoring of youth and school nutrition
·        Give resources to the people on the front lines
·        **changes in policies : Environmental Health. ( policymakers need to work with the community). Community would like to meet with Peter Paris

Accessing Healthy Foods Community Discussion
By Margo Malabar

The Accessing Healthy Foods Community Discussion was held On March 31 at Mamawi with 18 community service agency representatives in attendance. It was sponsored by the North End Food Security Network in response to requests at a recent community forum to address the lack of healthy affordable food in our community. Some of the conclusions from the discussion were as follows.

There has been an erosion of the family unit as a venue for the next generation to learn how to plan, shop, and prepare nutritious meals. Currently community places provide a significant amount of food to children and youth in our neighbourhoods because there is such a need to feed the hungry, and basic needs must be met before people can improve their lives.

Community places need to make food preparation by community members part of every event. Local food security will be improved through having an educational component to community events, such as menu planning, budgeting, and offering food handlers’ courses. Schools are also an important venue for improving the community’s nutritional knowledge.

Current unhealthy food choices for some community members are largely due to a history of lack of fresh fruits and vegetables in Northern Manitoba communities and the high cost of nutritious foods. The lack of local North End grocery stores that provide healthy, affordable food recreate this scenario.

Feasts and sharing circles help to build community and confidence and are a starting point for including Aboriginal residents in food security events. People need to feel that they are valued and that their traditions are important. Traditional foods for different cultures need to be included in events in order to get the larger community engaged.

One of the barriers to current uses of community kitchens is the expense in upgrading kitchens so that they are ‘approved’ kitchens through Environmental Health. There also need to be changes so that the health licensing protocol for feeding large numbers of people is more user friendly for the community, while maintaining standards for health.

top