This past year has brought on a dizzying pace of political, socioeconomic, and environmental challenges to our work as we endeavour to strengthen local food justice. Regardless, the Vancouver Neighbourhood Food Network (VNFN) model has the power to build strong food secure communities. I am also deeply inspired by the many Food Networks whose tireless work towards local food system change often goes unnoticed, especially within the still dominant charity model as a response to household food insecurity.
VNFNs strive to build equitable and dignified forms of community food access through a variety of programs, including essential food redistribution and community development projects, but the heart of our work is community building. This includes deepening social engagement and relationships, collaborations and partnerships, information sharing, and strengthening local food cultures. People are craving a sense of connectedness and food is a beautiful means of nurturing inclusive communities.
The VNFNs offer a unique “collective action” approach to drive change. Highly connected organizations, communities and individuals work together with a common aspiration for justice through community development and systems change advocacy. As we see, collective action works.
The stories in this report exemplify the power of food to not only improve people’s health and well-being but also build connected communities for change. They represent just a small sample of the dozens of VNFN community food programs across Vancouver.
Happy reading!
— Ian Marcuse, VNFN Umbrella Coordinator