Courtesy: Bob Schneider

By Jessie Weisner

FUNDING FOR FOOD BANK

Fund announced to support food based programs

Aug 13, 2019 | 3:42 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The federal government has announced the $50 million dollar local food infrastructure fund.

It offers up to $25,000 to projects like urban gardens, community kitchens, food banks, farmers markets and greenhouses.

An exciting announcement for the local Medicine Hat and District Food Bank, which is funded entirely by community donors.

“In the big picture, government funding doesn’t come easily to food banks,” says Celina Symmonds, executive director of the Food Bank. “So the fact that the government is realizing food security is a real need in our community and that things like gardens and green houses and community kitchens are important for folks to learn how to cook and come together around food is really exciting for us.”

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The fund is designed to reduce food insecurity, support community-based organizations and strengthen local food production.

Symmonds says she has every intention of applying for the funding, adding it could make a huge difference for programming.

“Having some sustainable funding would help us create programs that would be transformational in the lives of not only our clients but other community members as well,” she says. “We know that people come together around food, we know that’s true, we see that in our own families. I think that when the government realizes as well that people come together around food, I think that that’s a blessing.”

The government will start accepting applications on August 19, 2019.