By Staff
July 19th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Earlier this month, Regional Council approved $212,500 in funding for 13 community programs and projects that will support the health and well-being of Halton residents that have inadequate access to food.
The funding is the result of a new stream of funding through the Halton Region Community Investment Fund (HRCIF), which was created to improve access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food in partnership with Halton’s non-profit and community organizations.
Regional chair Gary Carr tasting honey on a farm tour.
“This funding reflects Halton’s commitment to improve access to food by working closely with our community partners,” said Halton Regional Chair, Gary Carr. “Investing in community agencies through the Halton Region Community Investment Fund is another example of how we’re working together with the community to achieve the best possible health and well-being for all and is part of what makes Halton Region such a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire.”
Funding will help community organizations to increase the amount of fresh and culturally appropriate foods available to clients, strengthen the capacity of agencies to safely store and distribute food and will support other efforts that make food more accessible to residents with inadequate access to food.
The food security grants are part of over $1.4 million in 2016 HRCIF funding that will support a wide range of community health and social service programs that serve Halton residents. The following programs will receive funding through the food security stream of the Halton Region Community Investment Fund:
• Acton Foodshare – to increase the amount of fresh food available to clients and to support the development of cooking skills;
• ClearView Community Church (Oakville) – to increase cold storage for its food programs, including cooking classes;
• The Dar Foundation – to support the purchase of Halal meats for its clients;
• Food4Kids – to determine the scope of need and plan program expansion;
• Food for Life – to hire an additional ‘food raiser’ to source fresh and culturally appropriate food for community programs;
• Georgetown Bread Basket – to support new freezer/refrigeration purchases for its food bank;
• Halton Food for Thought – to purchase freezers/refrigerators to support student nutrition programs in 11 schools;
• Halton Fresh Food Box – to support a pilot project to deliver fresh food boxes to clients with transportation or mobility barriers;
• Halton Women’s Place – to provide grocery cards to women exiting the shelter;
• Milton Community Resource Centre – to support the organization’s Infant Food Bank program;
• North Halton Community Kitchen St. Alban’s Church (Acton) – to support a community kitchen coordinator to develop and expand cooking and dining programs;
• Feeding Halton (through Open Doors at St. Christopher’s Church as the lead applicant) – to support a position to coordinate farm fresh markets that provide access to local produce at a reduced cost. The position will also coordinate purchases from local farmers on behalf of several social service agencies; and
• St. Luke’s Anglican Church (Oakville) – to purchase a refrigerator that will assist the organization to establish an outreach program.
