Community Food Security Session Series

Thank you for joining us!

Land to Table held a Community Food Security Planning Session on March 2nd, bringing together individuals from various organizations, local government, and educational, health, and religious institutions throughout the North Okanagan region who are addressing food insecurity with an interest to move towards greater community food security overall. This was the first event of this size that we have hosted in 3 years! All agreed it was good to gather in this way!

Nearly 30 representatives were present! We were pleased to have our Spokes, Whitevalley Resource Centre, Okanagan Indian Band, the Good Food Box, share their insights on their programs and how the Hub has contributed to their capacity and growth. Hub Advisor, Linda Boyd from Interior Health, also presented on food security and insecurity within a BC context. Their presentations are linked below for your interest. 

• Whitevalley Resource Centre – Family & Teen Meal Programs Summary
• Okanagan Indian Band – Community Garden Successes
• The Good Food Box – Serving & Addressing Increasing Need
• Interior Health – Food Security and Insecurity: Developing a common understanding 

Attendees were encouraged to network and collaborate at breakout tables to identify gaps and challenges to their work, brainstorm solutions, and share opportunities. The event provided valuable insights, and Land to Table discovered that the most effective way to support food security actors in our region is by:

• Taking a bird’s eye perspective to identify collective needs and opportunities (e.g. “holding the whole” when it comes to developing our local food system)
• Facilitating connections and providing coordination to address resource gaps
• Advocating for policy change around food safety and liability regulations that prevent organizations from delivering fresh and local food and educational opportunities with local producers.