6. DTES Neighbourhood House – Urban Farm Project

Organization Information

Organization Name

Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House (https://www.dtesnhouse.ca/)

Mission and Vision of Organization

To provide opportunities for residents to meaningfully engage with and contribute to their community in an equitable atmosphere of sharing and learning. The secular, grassroots Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House (DTES NH) embraces people of all ancestries, genders, ages and descriptions; annually welcoming almost 9,000 DTES residents in a community where 70% of our neighbours have low‐incomes, 700 are homeless and 5,000 are under-housed. Our programming is community inspired and varied, a sampling of which has included a Chinese Elders Community Kitchen, Traditional Aboriginal Community Kitchen, Leadership Development, a Children’s Community Kitchen, Nutritional Outreach Activities (Mobile Smoothie Project and Banana Beat), The Healing Circle, Father’s for Thought, Table Talks project, Family Drop In: Families, Farming and Food, Community Drop-in and the production of a Right to Food Zine. Those who built the DTES NH put the Right to Food at the heart of our work, as nutritional vulnerability was a theme familiar to all. Our goal around the Right to Food is to reform the nutritional impact, quality, abundance and delivery of food in the DTES in consultation with residents, community food providers, non‐food community organizations, healthcare professionals, policy makers, growers/suppliers, food/beverage industry professionals and researchers.

Guiding Principles + Values

We know food to be a communicative instrument and hence use its offering as an instrument of community building. The average DTES resident lives with one or more serious health issues, has a compromised immune system and is under- housed. Coupled with extreme material poverty, the lack of adequate housing renders people incapable of providing themselves with adequate nutrition. Typical housing quarters provide one small room with no cooking facilities or storage for foodstuffs. Many of our neighbours live in Single Room Occupancy units (SROs). The average DTES diet consists of a of starch (in the form of white rice and pasta); copious amounts of tasteless coffee garnished with coffee whitener (an addictive petroleum by-product) and refined sugar; endless soup; day old pastries and donuts; dishes made with an alarming amount of taste enhancing chemical additives; and processed foods. These ‘foods’ do not support positive health outcomes for our neighbours, but remain omnipresent in our community. What is not found in the average DTES diet is local, seasonal, fresh produce; sweets which are healthy (eg dates and figs); dishes made without additives and refined sugars; homemade vinaigrettes; alternatives to dairy products; and generally speaking fresh, identifiable foods. These are the things that the Neighbourhood House works to make available for our neighbours. When one is materially poor, the first things lost are privacy and choice. Offering people a choice of the foods they ingest is a critical piece of the NH food philosophy. It’s a commonly held myth that those living in poverty don’t have nutritional knowledge or aspirations.

Contact Information

• Primary Contact Person(s): Brittany Garuk
• Email: [[1]]
• Phone: 604-215-2030  
• Address: 573 East Hastings
• Website: http://rtfzine.org/&nbsp

Preferred Method of Contact

• Best method(s) to contact: Email
• Best day(s) to contact:Not certain yet

Preferred Platform(s) for Remote Collaboration

• Email

Project Description

Context: What challenge or issue does the project aim to address?

The project aims to address food insecurity in the DTES, and negative perceptions of our community members, through grassroots community development work.

Main Project Activities

• Students will assist with the production of the DTESNH Right to Food Zine food security publication. They will contribute content that fits with the theme of this RTF Zine edition.
• Each student will produce an item to be published in the RTF Zine or make a quantifiable, substantive contribution to the publication process (e.g. leading workshops, or editing articles).
• This contribution can also build on their related knowledge, skills, and interests.

Expected Project Deliverable(s)

The main project deliverable is a vibrant RTF Zine edition that reflects the food and nutrition-related needs and aspirations of the community we are a part of and serve.

Intended Project Outcome

-This RTF Zine edition will share the food and nutrition-related stories, needs and aspirations of the community we are a part of and serve. -Student contributions, including improved editing, content, and design of this RTF Zine edition will help showcase these stories.

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

• Any of these will be an asset: -knowledge of nutrition; cooking skills; -knowledge of food safety; -knowledge of food procurement strategies; experience interacting with vulnerable populations; -understanding of food security issues and right to food; interest in storytelling -interest in community based research interest in writing and publishing

Student Assets and Skills (to be developed through the project)

• -Build on existing interests/skills/talents such as design, research, advocacy, writing, to meaningfully engage in community, build relationships, collaborate and create an amazing food security publication for local residents and allies.

Are there any mandatory attendance dates (e.g. special event)?

• No

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

No

If a criminal record search is required, when should the process be initiated?  

N/A

Preferred Days of Week and Hours

Not certain yet

Related Community Service Opportunities for Students

We are looking for volunteers and practicum students to support the development of our urban farm project.

Required Reading

Project/Partner Orientation Materials

Students should review these materials prior to the first partner meeting:

• Students should review these materials prior to the first partner meeting:
• DTES NH Food Philosophy https://www.dtesnhouse.ca/?page_id=15
• rtfzine.org https://rtfzine.org/
• 25 Years of the Vancouver Neighbourhood Food Networks http://vancouverfoodnetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/20
• Request the relevant past LFS350 student reports from your TA

Additional Project/Partner Orientation Materials

The following will be provided at the first community partner meeting:

• See previous issues of RTF Zine at rtfzine.org