$700,000 for remote First Nations community gardens

VICTORIA – Remote First Nations communities throughout British  Columbia will receive $700,000 from the Heart and Stroke Foundation,  through funding from the Provincial Health Services Authority, to grow community gardens – helping to provide fresh produce to those who would otherwise have limited access to these healthy foods.
The Food Systems in Remote First Nations project is a collaboration with the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The project provides funding to help 15 gardens previously established through the Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative.
The two-year project has successfully completed its first growing season.  Participants will be able to enjoy produce from the gardens throughout the fall and winter, because the program also provides support for food  preservation workshops.
This program will help to further integrate the gardens into communities by providing community engagement workshops and training.
It will also provide food preservation training to ensure that  healthy food is available year-round. It will also help some communities develop their gardens into small-scale agricultural businesses, helping to build the local economies. At the end of next year, communities will have the tools needed to continue the gardens on their own as part of a community agriculture food plan.
The 15 First Nations communities are located in remote areas of the province where access to fresh produce is often very limited. Having access to healthy, fresh vegetables and fruit is fundamental to  preventing chronic illness and being able to live a healthy lifestyle.
The Food Systems in Remote First Nations project follows up on the successful Produce Availability in Remote Communities Initiative,  which was a three-year program (from 2009 to 2012) to improve the  availability of produce in 17 remote B.C. communities.
The Produce Availability Initiative also was a collaboration with the Heart and Stroke Foundation where teams worked with each community to develop  solutions uniquely tailored to meet their needs.
While this project is currently limited to the participating 15 First  Nations communities, it will develop tools and a framework that can  be used by other interested First Nations communities throughout the  province.
Minister of Health Margaret MacDiarmid said: “Fruits and vegetables are a key component to a healthy diet, often these items can be difficult to find in remote communities in the province. With this funding, the Heart and Stroke Foundation will be able to help to build a base for local food sustainability and accessibility for these B.C. First Nations communities.”     Jeff Sommers, manager of research and health initiatives, Heart and  Stroke Foundation said “Through the Produce Availability Initiative, we were able to work with communities to establish local food gardens and the results had a direct impact on the participants and their communities. With the Food Systems in Remote First Nations project, we will ensure that these gardens continue to grow as part of a community food plan and thrive well into the future.”

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