25. Archway Community Services

Project Description

Note: This project will take place online and in person

Context/Background

Archway's Fraser Valley Food Connection is a part of the Regional Community Food Hub initiative supported by United Way BC and serves the communities of Abbotsford and Mission. The intent and vision for regional community food hubs is to develop long-term networks and sustainable solutions for food security that are defined by, embedded in and responsive to community. For both the short-term needs as well as the future, these key principles should provide guidance on the process of collaboration and how needs are met directly within community.

Food insecurity is an urgent and complex issue and we acknowledge that it cannot be done by one organization alone but instead requires deep collaboration among diverse stakeholders and community perspectives to address. We hope to empower the community through skill building, education, and knowledge-sharing programs. At the Fraser Valley Food Connection, you come to Eat, Grow, Share and Connect.

Food Systems Issue(s) Addressed in this Project

This project aims to increase our understanding of the local food infrastructure through stakeholder and community engagement to ensure inclusivity in our food system. Our hope is to create an engaging and inclusive food network that best supports our diverse community's access to food. Having an inclusive food network made up of multiple organizations ensures we are able to serve marginalized populations that may typically be left out of the conversation of food security. Fraser Valley Food Connection recognizes that precariously housed individuals, racialized groups and newcomers, and Indigenous communities are often excluded and are more likely to experience food insecurity. We hope to continue to partner with organizations that serve these demographics and support them in their work. Having a centralized food network also reduces silos in the community's work surrounding food security and ensures we are not replicating work but instead collaborating and supporting each other in strengthening the local food system.

Main Project Activities

• Research on best practices of collaborative food networks
• Meet with community partners and identify ways Fraser Valley Food Connection can support their work
• Assist in development of a newsletter template for the Fraser Valley Food Connection Network

Main Project Deliverable(s)

• Meet (virtually) with 4 community partners to identify areas of support
• Create a newsletter template for the Fraser Valley Food Connection Network
• Create 1 newsletter that can be shared with community partners based on needs identified through meeting
• Create 1 newsletter that can be shared with community members

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

• Knowledge of food justice and food security concepts and the issues that impact food security.
• Understanding of basic food needs including dietary, cultural, and nutritional requirements.
• Cultural competence; works well with people from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

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

• N/A

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

• Yes

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

• Before the first community partner meeting
• CRS instructions will be posted on Canvas
• If additional support is required, contact your TA or the course coordinator

How much self-direction is expected from the students?

• Deciding on the project deliverable(s):
• Developing the activity plan and timeline:
• Scheduling and initiating the communication plan (e.g. weekly Zoom check-in, biweekly email update, etc.):
• Implementing the activity plan (e.g. surveying stakeholder groups):
• Finalizing the deliverable(s):
  

Related Volunteering/Community Service Opportunities for Students

• Volunteering in Fraser Valley Food Connection's affordable produce program, the Bulk Buy Collective
• Volunteer work with external community partners if identified
• So-called “BC” Food Gateway Community of Practice (virtual meetings once a month to discuss food justice topics relevant to participants across the province). Email Zsuzsi Fodor (she/her) at bcfoodgateway@gmail.com to register
• Vancouver Food Justice Coalition (working title) - virtual and in-person meetings to discuss food justice priorities and organizing. Contact Ian Marcuse (he/him) at ourplacefoodstrategy@gmail.com to request meeting schedule

Required Reading

Project/Partner Orientation Materials

Students should review the following materials prior to the first partner meeting. Additional orientation materials may be provided at the first partner meeting.

• www.archway.ca
• www.foodjustice.ca

Additional Materials

• Thinking Like a Network - Useful Resources (SPARC BC)
• The Partnership Toolkit: Tools for Building and Sustaining Partnerships (SPARC BC)
• McKnight, John. Asset-Based Community Development: The Essentials (4 page document)
• Kretzmann, J.P. & Knight, J.L. (1993). Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community's Assets (available from UBC Library)
• Tarasuk V, Li T, Fafard St-Germain AA. (2022) Household food insecurity in Canada, 2021. Toronto: Research to identify policy options to reduce food insecurity (PROOF). Retrieved from https://proof.utoronto.ca/
• Fazal, Z., Featherstone, D., Gerbrandt, L., McLester, K. & Yu, B. (2022). Thriving community food hubs: Promising practices and innovative organizational models UBC SEEDS Report
• Gardner, C. (2022). Pathways to a Hub and Spoke food hub model in the City of Vancouver. City of Vancouver