Vancouver Food Policy Council
453 W 12th Ave Vancouver, BC, Canada

Tomorrow - Wednesday, September 30th - is Orange Shirt Day, a day to honour Residential School survivors, their families, and those they have lost. The VFPC invite you to join us in supporting the movement and wearing an orange shirt. Take the day to learn about the history of Canada's Residential School system, and the negative impacts it has left on Indigenous children and nations that can be felt even today. Take the day to learn what you can do to empower Indigenous voic...es. Reconciliation is a long road ahead, but let's start with showing support, learning more and #OrangeShirtDay2020. Visit https://victoriaorangeshirtday.com/ or https://www.orangeshirtday.org/ to learn more about the history of the orange shirt and the Every Child Matters campaign. Also a thank you to Gordon Neighbourhood House for providing this graphic!

On Tuesday, June 30th at 11am PST, FoodShare is hosting a panel on Zoom titled "Black Women on Black Food Sovereignty." FoodShare works to dismantle systemic racism and oppression in food systems. The discussion will address the ways in which colonialism, anti-Black racism, capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchy are among the organizing principles embedded in the food system. Amazing discussion to check out and tune into if you can!

If your organization or agency is providing food during COVID-19 to students that would normally have access to school food programs, please complete this short survey linked below. Headed by Dr. Rachel-Engler-Stringer and Dr. Mary McKenna, information received will provide valuable feedback that will frame clearer food provision strategies and planning for the future.

This Friday, May 29th, has been declared as the Day of Action Against Racism by the City of Vancouver. "Since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, there has been a significant increase in the number of anti-Asian racist and xenophobic incidents." These include small local food businesses and restaurants that have suffered due to such sentiments. Multi-lingual posters and infographics have been prepared for individuals, businesses, organizations, community groups and associat...ions to display, in order to unite the city and take a stand against racism in these trying times. The official proclamation and multi-lingual resources can be found in the full press release below: https://vancouver.ca//vancouver-proclaims-may-29-to-be-a-d

The monthly Cheque Day for disability/income assistance payments is happening again on May 27th. Please consider staying at home and away from grocery stores on this day to help those on disability/income payments encounter shorter lines and stocked shelves! Thanks to all who were able to stay home and keep our community safe on last month's Cheque day! #WeAreStrongerTogether... #StayHome See more

Disability/income assistance payments only come once a month, and tomorrow (April 22nd) is a cheque day. Please consider staying at home tomorrow to help those on disability/income payments can get what they need at the grocery store, safely and quickly! #WeAreStrongerTogether #StayHome

West Coast Seeds and Hives for Humanity have teamed up to sponsor two Vancouver screenings of "The Pollinators" - an extraordinary documentary about honey bees, migrating beekeepers, and their impact on the food system. But you have to see it to BEE-lieve it! Tickets and information available at https://www.thepollinators.net/

World Food Day is coming up on Wednesday, October 16th, and the VFPC is celebrating by co-hosting a screening of the food documentary Six Primrose at the Christ Church Cathedral as part of the City of Vancouver’s Sustenance Festival. Six Primrose is a film about the Dartmouth North community in Nova Scotia using food as a means of connecting the community members with each other, featuring powerful stories of resilience and growth even in the face of food insecurity and isola...tion. A discussion panel will be following the film, with guests Jolene Andrew, Trixie Ling and Selma van Halder. Link to the trailer for Six Primrose, created by TrueFaux Films: https://vimeo.com/288354393 Link to the Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2470350459723738 Tickets are free and available at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/six-primrose-tickets-69802231353 Looking forward to see you all there!

Want to join the Vancouver Food Policy Council? Applications are now open! Apply by April 12th https://www.vancouverfoodpolicycouncil.ca/apply-to-be-on-t/

With the new City Council, Parks Board Commissioners and School Board Trustees beginning their term, the Vancouver Food Policy Council wanted to share the responses we received to our candidates questionnaire with the rest of the Vancouver Food Movement! We look forward to working with Elected Officials towards a just and sustainable food system in Vancouver. Here are their answers! https://www.vancouverfoodpolicycouncil.ca/food-on-the-elec/

Read this open letter the Vancouver Food Policy Council has written in solidarity with members of the Latin American Community regarding Escobar Restaurant in Vancouver https://www.vancouverfoodpolicycouncil.ca/open-letter-in-s/

We are so pleased to partner with the hua foundation and the Kamloops Food Policy Council to support this important training: "Unpacking White Privilege in the Food Movement" is a 1.5 day workshop, held on November 19-20. The training will provide space for participants to have challenging and often uncomfortable conversations around race and privilege. Learn about biases, white identity & fragility, and strategies on how to address this within your own and professional cir...cles. Applications are due this Sunday. With support from Sustenance Festival and City of Vancouver - Local Government http://sustenancefestival.ca/ev/unpacking-white-privilege/

It happened so fast! Last meeting of this VFPC term is 6PM tomorrow night at Van City Hall! There will be snacks and reflections on priorities over the last term. Hope to see you there. #vanfoodpoli https://bit.ly/2Aqopbx