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Fresh Roots & Growing Chefs Launch ‘LunchLAB Chefs For Families’ Program

Photo by Mavreen David Photography

The GOODS from Fresh Roots

Vancouver, BC | Launched as a pilot project in two schools in the fall of 2019, LunchLAB is an innovative and educational school meal program developed in partnership between Fresh Roots and Growing Chefs! and delivered in collaboration with the Vancouver School Board, Ono Vancouver, and the Italian Cultural Centre.

In LunchLAB, students learned to grow their own food, supplement that food from local farms, and with the support of their teacher and chef-in-residence, learn to cook for themselves and up to 180 of their peers twice a week.

Through LunchLAB, we wanted to provide meals that strengthen local food systems and support local farms; meals that provide non-stigmatizing access to those that need it most; meals that are nourishing, safe, healthy, and delicious; meals that kids and youth want to eat.

With the closure of schools due to COVID-19, Fresh Roots, Growing Chefs!, and our collaborators created LunchLAB Chefs for Families.

Donations can be made through www.LunchLab.ca, www.freshroots.ca or www.growingchefs.ca.

Goals:

– Offer families delicious, healthy, chef-prepared meals that provide nourishment and dignity at this uncertain time. Both Growing Chefs! and Fresh Roots believe food can be a catalyst for positive change and a source of joy and inspiration, even during these challenging times.

– Provide meals that are created by professional chefs and composed of restaurant-quality dishes. The menus are carefully and thoughtfully crafted to bring comfort and enjoyment.

– Support the entire food system including local sourcing and diversion of food waste.

– Provide meaningful, paid work for chefs and kitchen professionals who would otherwise not be working.

Current Operation:

– 5,500 delicious, healthy, chef-prepared meals are made available for pick up or delivery two days a week to 260 families.

– Families in need are identified by the VSB, specifically by the District’s Youth and Family Workers.

– Growing Chefs! and Fresh Roots provide more than 180 hrs/week of employment for our chef teams from Ono Vancouver and The Italian Cultural Centre.

– Collaborators, offering unique talents and resources, act as equal partners to procure, prepare, and distribute/deliver all meals.

– Program activities are made possible by a team of staff and volunteers.

– We are also active partners of a COVID-19 School Food Task Force. This group convenes a number of charities, government partners, and for-profit organizations to ensure a consolidated and collaborative effort to support food security.

– Cost is $77,000 per month and donations are required to continue operation. Tax-receiptable donations can be designated to LunchLAB through either Fresh Roots or Growing Chefs!

Neighbourhood: East Vancouver
5050 Wales St.
778-764-0DIG (0344)

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