Each year, the City of Kamloops issues a call for proposals for registered charities and non-profit agencies in our community to apply for Social and Community Development Grants, which are intended to fund special projects, operational costs, and/or capital expenditures that address specific current social problems and/or issues related to the City’s Social Plan or the Livability and Sustainability pillar of the Council Strategic Plan.
The Kamloops Food Policy Council received a $15,000 Social and Community Development Grant in 2023. This is how the grant was used:
Submitted Kamloops Food Policy Council
The Kamloops Food Policy Council has been working with the City of Kamloops for over 25 years to advance food security in our community.
The success of the Kamloops Food Policy Council in being responsive to local needs and taking advantage of opportunities to advance the collective goals of our city is a tribute to the dedication, passion, and commitment of our small but mighty team. Being a recipient of funding enhances the stability of the Kamloops Food Policy Council and our ability to continue to offer community benefits like we have been over the years.
The 2023 grant from the City of Kamloops supported our core team to continue our foundational organization functions like the operation of our Gleaning Abundance Program, Butler Urban Farm, and The Stir to be available to our community.
During 2023, we were able to update our Food Supports List and Meals Calendar three times a year and share widely with the community. We hosted 12 public network meetings which included a series of educational topics such as food security, the Just Food System, a study circle as part of the Climate Action program, and more.
Butler Urban Farm organized and hosted free workshops on Integrating Native Plants and Pollinators into the Farm, Collecting and Growing Native Plants from Seed, and Botanical Distillation Demonstration—providing opportunities for people in the community to engage with us in growing food.
Our work for Community Economic Development towards enhancing social well-being and reducing poverty includes agreements with 26 entrepreneurs/makers utilizing our food processing spaces and 26 businesses accessing the food hub, known as The Stir, in the first two quarters of 2023.
During our operation efforts, our team continues to advance reconciliation and relationship building between Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members including Community Futures Central Interior First Nations, Working Group on Indigenous Food Sovereignty, Q’wemtsin Health Society, Tk’emlups te Secwepemc Community Services, and River Select Indigenous Fisheries Co-operative.
Within the City’s Bear Smart initiative, we continued to be a key implementation partner for adopted City plans and policies and met with City staff regarding integrating our Gleaning Abundance Program. This is a program where we re-direct an abundant amount of produce to benefit individuals and families in need while reducing human-wildlife conflict.
To learn more about this Social and Community Development Grant, visit Kamloops.ca/Grants. To view stories on how other groups used their Social and Community Development Grants, visit Kamloops.ca/CityStory.
