• What We Do
  • Get Involved
  • About Us
  • Volunteer Centre
  • Donate Now
United Way of KFL&A
Menu
  • What We Do
  • Get Involved
  • About Us
  • Volunteer Centre
  • Donate Now

Good Food Stands increase access to healthy food

August 15, 2018 by United Way of KFL&A 2 Comments

NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release:

Good Food Stands increase access to healthy food

Fresh produce at reduced prices in 5 pilot locations

Kingston, Ontario. August 15, 2018 – Food Access has emerged as a theme for poverty reduction in Kingston and Area, providing enhanced access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food for all residents of KFL&A. As part of the community’s Poverty Reduction Initiative, United Way of KFL&A and the City of Kingston co-chaired a Food Advisory Committee. The committee has worked diligently over the past year to develop strategies to address food access.

With input from service providers and people with lived experience of poverty and food insecurity, an initiative has just been launched to make fresh produce more readily available and affordable for everyone in the community.

On August 27th, Good Food Stands will begin popping up across Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, as part of a 12-month pilot project to provide improved food access for individuals and households in our region.

Good Food Stands will be open to the public, once a month, offering a variety of fresh produce at reduced prices. No appointment is needed and the community is invited to experience the friendly atmosphere of shopping at one of the following five Good Food Stand locations in KFL&A:

  • Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic High School
  • Sydenham High School
  • Napanee District Secondary School
  • LaSalle Secondary School
  • Bayridge Secondary School

The locations and schedule for each Good Food Stand can be found at goodfoodstand-kfla.ca

“We recognize that many people experience barriers to accessing sufficient, safe and nutritious food,” says Bhavana Varma, President & CEO of United Way of KFL&A. “It is our hope that the program will make it easier for people across the region to access fresh produce, and as a result, eat healthier.  “We are excited about all of the multi-sectoral partnerships that made this initiative come together.”

The Good Food Stand pilot is a collaborative effort with many partners across the region who have come together to co-develop and launch this initiative. The focus is on providing a local sustainable solution to address food access and its root causes, and making a difference in our community.

Tony Deodato & Sons Ltd. will supply fresh produce that in turn will be sold to the public at a reduced price.  Local school boards and their unions have worked together to arrange for program delivery and support from school volunteers at 5 high schools in the region.

A coordinator from Kingston Community Health Centres will facilitate program delivery at each school from 3:00pm to 5:30 pm for one afternoon each month during the year.

The use of schools as hubs to connect to community provides lots of opportunity for expansion of the program in the future and provides connections to other programs and initiatives.

The Good Food Stand initiative is supported by the KFL&A Food Access Advisory Committee and co-funded by the City of Kingston, United Way of KFL&A, and the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area.  In-kind marketing and evaluation support has been provided by KFL&A Public Health.

For more information about the Good Food Access plan for KFL&A, and a complete schedule for the five Good Food Stand locations in KFL&A visit: www.goodfoodstand-kfla.ca  or email Good Food Stand Coordinator, Kathy Sturmey at: kathys@kchc.ca

-30-

Media Contacts:

Bhavana Varma, President & CEO, United Way KFLA
613-542-2674, ext. 1101, bvarma@unitedwaykfla.ca

Cheryl Hitchen, Social Policy & Strategic Community Development Manager, City of Kingston
613-546-2695 x 4806, chitchen@cityofkingston.ca

Tina Bailey, Executive Director, Community Foundation for Kingston & Area
613-546-9696, tina@cfka.org

KFL&A Food Access Advisory Committee
Co-Chaired by United Way of KFL&A and City of Kingston

COMMITTEE  MEMBERS

Co-Chairs:

  • Lanie Hurdle, City of Kingston
  • Bhavana Varma, United Way KFL&A

Staff Support:

  • Cheryl Hitchen,  City of Kingston
  • Kim Hockey,  United Way KFL&A (Backbone)
  • Kathy Sturmey,  Kingston Community Health Centres (Good Food Stand Coordinator)

Members:

  • Leeanne Amell, Community Foundation for Kingston & Area
  • Tina Bailey,  Community Harvest Kingston
  • Delina MacDonald, Food Policy Council
  • Brenda Moore,  Food Sharing Project
  • Grant Kirbyson,  Grant’s No Frills
  • Helen Mabberly,  Kingston Community Health Centres
  • Susan Stewart,  KFL&A Public Health
  • Kim Law Lennox & Addington Social Services
  • Lynne Rousseau, Limestone District School Board
  • Mara Shaw, Loving Spoonful & Food Policy Council
  • Brittany Couto,  Napanee Community Health Centres
  • Andrea Loken,  Ontario Secondary School Teacher’s Federation
  • Laurie Newport,  RBC
  • Dana Henry,  Salvation Army, Napanee
  • Tara Kainer,  Sisters of Providence
  • Vicki England, Southern Frontenac Community Service Food Bank
  • Zach Deodato, Tony Deodato & Sons

Food Access Report

Filed Under: News Releases

Comments

  1. Sandy Watters says

    August 16, 2018 at 10:50 pm

    `I would be interested in finding out more about the program and what would be involved in volunteering my time. It sounds like a great program and I would like to be a part of it.

    Reply
    • United Way of KFL&A says

      August 17, 2018 at 3:01 pm

      Hello Sandy. Thank you for reaching out and sharing your interest in volunteering with the Good Food Stand project. I will pass along your email to my colleague Kim who can provide more details. Have a great weekend. – Blaine

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay in Touch!


Follow @unitedwaykfla

Archives

What’s Happening

7th Annual Next Gen Masquerade tickets on sale now – just in time for last-minute holiday shopping

NEWS RELEASE For immediate release: 7th Annual Next Gen Masquerade tickets on sale now – just in time for last-minute holiday shopping Take... Read more

The United Way KFLA 2018 Campaign raises a record $3,564,000

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The United Way KFLA 2018 Campaign raises a record $3,564,000 A community-wide effort that will change... Read more


Read More Posts

Twitter Feed

Tweets by unitedwaykfla

 

 

Facebook Feed

United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington

  • Home
  • What We Do
  • Get Involved
  • Funding
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Donate Now
  • Français
  • Blog
  • Events
  • News & Media
  • Volunteer Centre
  • Board of Directors opportunities
  • Career Opportunities
  • Youth Homelessness
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contrast
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

© United Way KFLA All Rights Reserved
417 Bagot Street Kingston ON K7K 3C1
Charitable Registration Number: 125978270RR0001