CFCC's 2017 Food Summit

At its two locations in Toronto’s west end, The Stop Community Food Centre strives to increase access to healthy food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds health and community, and challenges inequality. Their dynamic team provides an array of programs including community drop-in meals, a healthy food bank, a Good Food Market, community kitchens, peri-natal support, food systems education, peer advocacy, Community Action, community gardens, and urban agriculture. The Stop is CFCC’s founding partner.

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When it comes to the issues of poverty and food insecurity in Canada, it feels like we are at an impasse. For many, the idea that no one should have to worry where their next meal is coming from seems obvious. Yet we have somehow gotten to a place where governments and citizens accept systems and policies that make that impossible: from meagre social assistance rates, the entrenchment of food banks, pervasive social isolation, lack of affordable housing, a big and growing burden of chronic disease, and the continued chasm in services and supports between aboriginal populations and the rest of Canada to name a few.

With talk of a poverty reduction strategy and national food policy in the air, and truth and reconciliation work underway, political and citizen support for much-needed systemic change is mounting. Yet to get from consultations and strategies to funded and coordinated action, we need to go beyond critiquing the status quo and instead craft a compelling vision for a future in which everyone has a right to healthy food.

Over the course of an evening, a panel of outspoken advocates from the healthcare, indigenous, and food justice communities will paint an inspiring picture for a fair food nation while articulating a path to get us there.

The question of how to make healthy, fresh food more accessible to low-income folks has been plaguing the food movement for years. In the US, the double bucks program and fruit and vegetable prescriptions are emerging as viable incentives to boost consumption of “good food” while improving health. Here in Canada, market vouchers are being tested on a smaller scale, but there’s appetite for more.

Andy Fisher, who has been at the centre of food security work in the US for decades, will share how these food access programs have worked south of the border. CFCC’s COO, Kathryn Scharf, will then moderate a conversation on how Canadian organizations can pursue a made-in-Canada model.

Community kitchens and gardens are great places to make new friends, improve your mental health, and of course, learn new skills. Yet with income so closely tied to food security, having a steady job is key. To respond, a growing number of organizations are using food programs to help train low-income or unemployed people for jobs in food. But what does it really take to prepare people for employment?

In an increasingly competitive fundraising space it’s vital for charities to understand their donors’ needs to ensure their long-term support. In this panel discussion, we’ll hear from several donors on what influences their giving, what inspires them about the work of the Good Food movement, and how they’ve been thanked in memorable ways.

This session is moderated by Susan Vardon, CFCC’s Director Strategic Partnerships and will feature a range of donors that give either as individuals or through foundations. 

Fire up your inner speed racer! This fast-paced session will showcase program coordinators sharing their brilliant ideas in a race against the clock. Using the pecha kucha presentation style where each presenter speaks to 20 photo-based slides for 20 seconds each, it’s a fun way to hear about some inspiring projects, ideas, and innovations.

Want to use video to engage people in your mission, but worry you don't have the time, money, or expertise? Don't worry, we've got your back. Part case study, part interactive workshop, this session will provide examples of how the Dartmouth North Community Food Centre has used video to engage volunteers, communicate your impact, and thank donors, and how you can create your own impactful videos without spending a fortune.

Do you wish you could gather valuable feedback from participants to help you plan and adapt programs to better meet their needs? Come add some tools to your toolbox! In this interactive session we’ll share ideas of easy and approachable ways to gather participant input at key moments throughout the program cycle — from early program planning to final evaluation.

Reluctant board? Judgmental volunteers? Trouble sourcing food? Wondering what type of space you need? Can’t dispel the sense of competition for food? Can’t get people interested in the bigger picture? There are lots of food bank staff working to nudge their organizations toward a healthier, more progressive path, but there can be many obstacles encountered en route to the “better food bank.” We’ll be asking those with thorny food bank problems to bring them forward for a collective brainstorming session. Those who’ve already vanquished their obstacles are also asked to come and contribute their wisdom.

When it comes to healthy eating, lately there has been some juicy findings in health and behaviour research, slow syrup-y open consultations on revamping Canada's Food Guide, and salty commentary in the media on the various approaches to helping people find their way to the healthiest choice. From nudging folks with knowledge and shocking social marketing campaigns to taxing high-calorie soft drinks and removing the unhealthy choice from the plate of options — how should we, as "good food" champions, lead our communities down a healthier life path? We’ll dig right into the issues with a real live debate between community chefs, food-skills coordinators, and health advocates on cutting out the crappy vs. heaping on the healthy.

CFCC consultant Trace MacKay will moderate the debate and offer some background on the latest health promotion and harm reduction research.

Got some sweet ideas on swapping out the sugar? Are you ready to salt shake-up your opponent? Not afraid to take on your peers in a verbal food fight? If you would like to test your [pork] chops by participating in the Nudge vs. Shove debate, email Trace@cfccanada.ca.

As organizations doing community food work, the volunteers that come our way are wide-ranging — from corporate groups wanting to do good for a day, to well-intentioned middle class people wanting to contribute, to those who experience marginalization and may double as program participants. While there is room for everyone to lend a hand, an organization will do well by having clear guidelines, orientation processes, and staff trained to manage this diverse audience. Bring your insight, tools, and quandaries to this participatory session where we’ll explore how to bring in great volunteers, get them on board with your mission, and improve their skills / confidence (if that’s what they're after), all while ensuring they are contributing in helpful and tangible ways.

With civic engagement at an all time low, community activists are left searching for an antidote to the apparent apathy epidemic taking root in communities. But what if apathy is actually a misunderstanding and what's really needed is a new approach for organizing and mobilizing? Roll up your sleeves and get ready for a session that will introduce you to a variety of forward-thinking approaches to engage communities and incite action.

For those experiencing food insecurity in rural areas, the going can be particularly tough: public transit is non-existent, grocery stores are few and far between, and social services are limited. If your organization operates in a rural area or small town, then you’ll know that your context is very distinct from that of your urban colleagues — from how to connect with remote participants and deciding where to offer programs, to how you raise funds and awareness in a small and often conservative scene.

Are you looking for fun ways to evaluate your youth programs in a way that gets the kids sharing but doesn’t feel like school? We have asked a few seasoned practitioners to share some of their favourite evaluation tools and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Then we’ll turn the tables and ask you, the audience, which kid-friendly evaluation activities have worked well for you and which ones have flopped.

With “good food” meaning different things to different people, running food programs rooted in “good food” can be tricky territory. In this interactive workshop we’ll explore how cultural, social, and nutritional dimensions of food influence choice. The “What is good food?” workshop is one you can bring back to your organizations and run for staff, volunteers, or other stakeholders in order to have thoughtful discussions about why you serve the food you serve and the role it can play within your community. You’ll come away with the resources you’ll need to and some practice to boot.

Throughout this weekend we've talked a lot about health: how to encourage healthy eating, how to make healthy food accessibly, and how programs can support people struggling with mental health, to name a few. Chances are, though, when you return to work next week some real challneges will awaity, blocking your way to implementing what you've learned here. This workshop is a collective problem-solving event where you can bring forward an issue you're working on. A panel of experts and audience members will offer a fresh perspective and insightful experience to help you along.