United Way BC is giving $1 million to the Community Connections Society of Southeast BC (CCSSBC) to bolster food security in the region.
The money will go toward the new Food Innovation Centre in Cranbrook, which aims to stabilize food supply in the area.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be building the Cranbrook Food Innovation Centre – it’s a game changer for our community. As food prices continue to rise, food security has become one of the most urgent issues facing families in our region,” said Sophie Larsen, COO-Good Food Programs, Community Connections Society of Southeast BC.
“This new space gives us the ability to expand our vital programs like Cranbrook Food Recovery, the School Meal Program, and Community Meals – programs that are already making a real difference every day. We’re also excited to bring back much-loved initiatives like Farm Kitchen and cooking classes. We will also be exploring new opportunities for local food entrepreneurs, farmers and consumers.”
Larsen says positivity from the public and other organizations has made a huge impact on the project.
“We are so grateful for the community support of the project this far – from those who walked through potential spaces with us, to community members who came together, loudly, to champion our work – thank you,” said Larsen.
The CCSSBC will convert an existing building along Highway 3 into its new Food Innovation Centre, which will have a food storage, processing, and commercial kitchen facility.
“We will be doing renovations this summer, and we can’t wait to open our doors to celebrate this amazing community asset as well as delicious local food with everyone.”
The new hub will serve as a centralized location for food recovery, aggregation, and meal production.
“Local organizations will access bulk storage and refrigeration, while food entrepreneurs can use affordable kitchen space for value-added production, benefiting both community food programs and the local economy,” said the United Way.
The United Way says the Food Innovation Centre will address several challenges in the community, such as:
- Limited access to affordable, nutritious, and locally sourced food.
- Insufficient food recovery, storage, and distribution infrastructure, leading to inefficiencies and food waste.
- A lack of commercial kitchen space and business support for food entrepreneurs.
- Challenges in food supply chain resilience, with disruptions caused by extreme weather, road closures, and economic instability.
The $1 million grant comes from the United Way BC’s Large Food Infrastructure Grant, in partnership with the B.C. government’s Ministry of Social Development & Poverty Reduction.
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