Food Matters Chilliwack has become a "community food promotion co-op" as a result of a recent transformation.
News that the local group has incorporated as a co-op however doesn't change the clear focus on fostering local food and local food security.
“We’ll still be Food Matters Chilliwack around the community,” says founding member Alanna Clempson.
An upcoming Harvest Celebration on Nov. 5 will herald the recent achievement of incorporation.
Food Matters Chilliwack has built a solid reputation in the community. In just a few years, they've been busy raising awareness about local food, and launching successful programs like Gleaning and Plant-a-row/Grow-a-row for the Food Bank (PARGAR), which have made "tens of thousands of pounds of fresh produce" available to local people in need.
The first Food Matters meeting since the provincial incorporation is on Tuesday, Nov, 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the new Sardis Library.
"Rest assured though, this won’t be a stuffy meeting!" Clempson says.
They're calling it a Harvest Celebration with tasty local food and speakers who'll be underling the importance of local food.
A share in the coop is $10, although donations are welcome as well.
They're hoping the co-op status will mean many more doors can be opened for Food Matters.
“We’ve been able to do so much without a formal structure and with very little money, we can only imagine what we’ll be able to do now that we can apply for funding and officially partner with other organizations,” says Chelsea Cromarty, chair of the Food Matters Chilliwack steering committee.
Stay tuned www.foodmatterschilliwack.com.
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