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.
Interior Community Services received a $15,000 Social and Community Development Grant in 2023. This is how the grant was used:
Submitted by the Mount Paul Community Food Centre
The Mount Paul Community Food Centre used grant funds to create affordable produce boxes. The goal of the produce box program was to increase access to healthy food for people; increase knowledge of nutrition and local food; reduce social isolation; reduce financial stress for people; and introduce the centre as a permanent resource for those accessing it.
The funding helped to cover the cost of the food and staff time to coordinate the program. Each box contained between $25 to $30 worth of local produce. Individuals accessing a produce box were asked to contribute $10—if the contribution was a barrier for the individual or family, the fee was waived. Produce was sourced from NuLeaf Market or contributed directly from our onsite educational garden if it was ready and in season.
Through distribution, we learned that there is a very high demand for affordable produce across a variety of populations. Those who participated in the program ranged from single-person households to families of six. A waitlist developed quickly for the program once referrals began, often with an average of a two to three-week waiting period once a family connected with the centre. To compensate for this waiting time, other services of the centre were offered—this highlighted the need for continuation of services given inflation and the rising cost of food.
The produce box program was offered for a total of 30 weeks between April and October 2023 and exceeded the anticipated outcomes. A total of 294 boxes were distributed with 12 to 14 being dispersed each week. Through these boxes, 715 individuals in 232 households benefited from the produce supplied.
In addition, the families who connected with the Mount Paul Community Food Centre were able to learn about the multiple programs offered at the centre and the availability of access. Each individual or family was offered a program schedule, a description of other programs available, and access to healthy recipes.
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.
