THUNDER BAY — Roots to Harvest and NorWest Community Health Centres have partnered to create a year-round, community-based food market offering affordable fresh produce to people living on low incomes.
The Community Food Market operates every Tuesday afternoon at the Limbrick Resource Centre
Funding for the project comes from the Community Food Centres Canada Market Greens program.
In an announcement Monday, Roots to Harvest said the project has three objectives:
- make fruits and vegetables more affordable and accessible
- increase fruit and vegetable consumption
- improve health and wellbeing
A unique aspect of the Market Greens program is that it allows some individuals to use a "green prescription" for the NorWest Community Health Centre for nutrition which subsidizes fresh fruit and vegetables in order to help families make healthier choices.
Research shows that people living on low incomes are disproportionately affected by diet-related illnesses and chronic conditions.
Registered dietician, Kim McGibbon – the food and kitchen director at Roots to Harvest – said the green prescription goes to clients struggling with illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure, who don't have enough money to buy nutritious food.
NorWest staff will make referrals for the prescriptions, and develop food and nutrition-related resources and health education programs.
When COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed, the program will also provide nutrition education and cooking skills in community kitchens at both the Limbrick Resource Centre and Roots to Harvest.
Monday's announcement quoted a client who's already used the market as saying "It keeps me from going to the grocery store. It's nice to have fresh produce. Food banks don't really have that kind of food."
The market greens initiative receives funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security, and the Arrell Family Foundation.
