Every Bite Affects the World Local Action Awards
The Heritage Community Association Community Kitchens has received an Every Bite Affects the World Local Action Award. Presented by the Every Bite Project in partnership with Nature Regina, the award recognizes local actions to increase understanding and skills around food sovereignty, helping people discover connections between the food we eat, our own health, and the health of other living beings and the environment.
The Heritage Community Association (HCA) offers a range of food skills programs in association with community partners. Since moving to their new facilities at the Mitakuyé Owâs’ā Centre at 1770 Halifax St. in Regina, the HCA has expanded their food security and food skills programming. This includes an ongoing food rescue program that collects surplus and near-expired foods and distributes this food, that would otherwise go to waste, through Mini Pantries in five locations, and to use in various community food programs. The HCA also operates Community Gardens, at their location on Halifax Street and also with partners to support community gardens at Thomson School, and with the seniors' residence at Embury Heights. The HCA offers Community Kitchens Programs for children, parents and seniors at their new location, and at Thomson Community School. They have offered Kids Can Cook Classes, Bannock & Bullet Soup with Elder Sharon, Parent Community Kitchens and Community Kitchens for seniors. The new space has hosted a variety of food skills programs including Learn to Can, Jam Session, Lentil Workshops and Broth Workshops to name a few. These are well attended programs where people learn how to use locally produced foods, enjoy the social connection that comes with preparing and eating homemade meals, and gain confidence to use their food preparation skills at home.
Wendy Miller, HCA Executive Director, says the new community kitchen space has created many opportunities for various groups learn healthy food preparation skills. One example is the partnership with Regina Open Door Society where participants learned to prepare a lunch of lentil patties with Home Economist Deborah Stevens.
Elizabeth Verrall presenting the Every Bite Award to Wendy Miller and Deborah Stevens
Plans for continued programming include offering food preparation classes such as use of lentils and canning. The HCA Community Kitchen program aligns with the themes of the Every Bite Project and Nature Regina as it helps people connect to each other and the natural world. These programs are helping people have healthy real food to eat in spite of inflation and rising food costs. The HCA continues to adapt initiatives to meet the needs of the community in addressing food security, removing barriers and advocating food is a right. The HCA promotes accessibility - everyone is welcome at HCA’s kitchen table.
The HCA also manages the Art Park, on the corner of Halifax Street and 11th Avenue, which received an Every Bite Award a few years ago for revitalizing the park to include edible and local plants. This proximity to the Art Park, where fruit trees have been planted, will one day provide food for the community kitchen programs. The garden together with the kitchen program supports food sovereignty by encouraging learning about how to grow and harvest food. Community participants learn and share knowledge of local food and participate in mutual aid through food rescue and redistribution. Nature Regina and the Every Bite Project are delighted to recognize everyone involved in the HCA Community Kitchen through this award.
More information about the HCA can be found here: https://hcaregina.com/
The Every Bite Project is inspired by the book Every Bite Affects the World: an earth care cookbook for joyful, mindful eating, by Catherine Verrall and friends, published in 2014. The Every Bite Local Action Awards include a cash donation of $800, funded through the proceeds of book sales and legacy donations made to the Every Bite Project in memory of Catherine Verrall. The Local Actions Awards honour her life-long commitment to environmental and social justice and education, and continue the journey of growing awareness and action.
More information about the Every Bite Project here: https://www.natureregina.ca/every-bite-project
Regina Open Door Society participants learning to make lentil oatmeal patties with home economist Deborah Stevens.
