It’s a good idea to reflect on things you’ve done and to try to apply your learnings to future endeavors. So let’s reflect on what the Parry Sound & Area Food Collaborative (PSAFC) did in 2016!
- Presented at the Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Business Over Breakfast’ networking event at Canadore College (January, local caterer Mrs Wilson’s Kitchen)
- Connected with Jess Nicksy from Studio [Y] of MaRs Discovery District who gathered baseline data by interviewing over 27 diverse food system players
- Hosted Food Lab #1 with Studio [Y] where participants discussed our current vs future food system and ways of moving closer to our ideal (March)
- Hosted Food Lab #2 with Studio [Y] where participants joined one of 5 topic tables (Formal Education, Community Building & Education, Equal Access to Healthy Food, Producer & Food Chain Supports, and Government Advocacy), developed action plans, and formed workgroups (April)
- Sent letters to seven municipalities to ask for endorsement of the Parry Sound & Area Food Charter (February)
- Presented to the Township of the Archipelago requesting charter endorsement
- Received charter endorsement from several municipalities: Town of Parry Sound, Municipality of McDougall, Carling Township, Township of the Archipelago, Municipality of Whitestone, Township of McKellar, Town of Kearney, and Ryerson Township.
- Presented to the District of Parry Sound Municipal Association and received charter endorsement
- Supported completion of the Parry Sound Food Access Guide, which lists contact information for local community kitchen programs, meal programs, food banks, community gardens, student nutrition programs and good food boxes (August)
- Sent a letter requesting the bylaw be amended during the upcoming bylaw review to allow for backyard hens in the Town of Parry Sound
- Posted a letter template on the PSAFC to support the public in showing their support for backyard hens
- Helped prepare submissions for the Ontario 150 grants for some great community projects (stay tuned!)
- Reviewed case studies of innovative food organizations with a view to building the sustainability and capacity of Parry Sound Area Food Collaborative