21. The Sharing Farm: Increasing Chinese Canadian participation in The Sharing Farm

Organization Information

Organization Name

The Sharing Farm Society

Mission and Vision of Organization

We grow food and community through farming, to advance food security, reconnect people to agriculture and champion sustainable food systems.

Guiding Principles + Values

We grow food. We grow farmers. We grow community.

The Sharing Farm grows fruits and vegetables, and harvests healthy produce to supply charitable food distribution organizations in Richmond. The Sharing Farm educates the community about sustainability through active volunteerism. Working together, The Sharing Farm addresses food security, promotes organic practices, educates young farmers and provides meaningful volunteer opportunities for youth, adults and seniors alike.

Contact Information

• Primary Contact Person(s): Sarah Drewery (she/her)
• Email: [[1]]
• Phone: 2367772264
• Address: 2771 Westminster Highway, Richmond, BC, V7C 1A8
• Website: www.sharingfarm.ca

Preferred Method of Contact

• Best method(s) to contact: Email
• Best day(s) to contact: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
• Best time(s) to contact: Afternoons

Preferred Platform(s) for Remote Collaboration

• Zoom

Project Description

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

The City of Richmond (where the Sharing Farm is located) has a majority population of Chinese ancestry, but this is not fully represented among our farm volunteers and participants. Older Chinese Canadians are especially underrepresented. For example, the majority of our high school student volunteers are Asian Canadians, but most of our senior volunteers are white. We are seeking ways to invite Asian Canadians, especially our older Chinese Canadian neighbours, to get involved in the Sharing Farm. Involvement could mean many things such as volunteering with us, purchasing our produce, attending workshops and events or working on our staff team.

Main Project Activities and Deliverables

• Research what the barriers are for Chinese Canadians and suggest solutions
• Research kinds of programming we are not already doing that would appeal to Chinese Canadians - particularly older Chinese Canadians
• Set up systems for capturing data on demographics attending the farm (at the present time our evidence on who is coming to the farm is anecdotal, it would be good to capture this in real data so that we can measure improvements going forward)
• Investigate potential partnerships with other community groups in Richmond who cater for majority Chinese Canadians (eg SUCCESS)

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

• Knowledge and connections with the Chinese community in the Lower Mainland, particularly in Richmond

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

• N/a

Will the project take place online, in person, or a combination?

• Online

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

• No

Related Community Service Opportunities for Students

• Students are welcome to join our drop in volunteer sessions starting in March.Overview

Required Reading

Project/Partner Orientation Materials

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

• Sharing Farm Annual Report

Additional Project/Partner Orientation Materials

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

• Students are encouraged to come and tour the farm. Due to staff availability, the visit would need to take place after February 1st