COVID-19 has required the entire world to re-examine how communities operate. Here’s how we fit in.
Those of us in the local food scene already informally work together and share common goals, so teamwork is not new for Growing Chefs! and Fresh Roots. We’ve been in cahoots for a couple of years now. In fall 2019, we launched LunchLAB, an innovative and educational school meal pilot program.
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 hundreds 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 and Growing Chefs!, in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Centre, Ono Vancouver, and the Vancouver School Board (VSB), redesigned LunchLAB to become LunchLAB: Chefs for Families. This new program provides healthy, delicious, chef-prepared meals to families in need.
Please see the end of this blog to learn more about the collaborators’ involvement, because there’s no way we could do this all on our own!
Times can be tough for Vancouver families right now, and even tougher for those families who may have already been struggling. We are offering families, identified by Youth and Family Workers at the VSB, 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 a crisis.
Before, LunchLAB was serving up to 440 lunches per week. Now, we’re at 5,500 meals! That’s more than a 1000% increase! These meals are made available for pick up or delivery two days a week to 260 local families. Created by professional chefs and composed of restaurant-quality dishes, the menus are carefully and thoughtfully crafted to bring comfort and enjoyment.
And they’re not just healthy, they’re absolutely delicious, and kid-approved!
Plus, we’re happy to be able to provide meaningful, paid work for chefs and kitchen professionals who would otherwise not be working. Growing Chefs! and Fresh Roots is currently providing more than 180 hrs/week of employment for our chef teams from Ono Vancouver and the Italian Cultural Centre. A huge THANK YOU to both the Italian Cultural Centre and Pacific Restaurant Supply who have donated the use of their kitchen facilities and equipment for the chef teams to prepare and portion the meals. AMAZING!
It’s also super important to us that we support the entire food system including local sourcing and diversion of food waste. Thanks for working with us and thank you for your donations Cropthorne Farm, Discovery Organics, Gordon Food Service, Nature’s Path, and Yen Bros Food Service.
And it’s not just food that the community is contributing. Fresh Prep generously donated cold packs for safe delivery of the meals, Fresh St Market donated paper bags for packing meals, Lyft has donated free rides for families to pick up meals, and Odd Society Spirits donated hand sanitizer for our volunteer delivery drivers. THANK YOU!
Now, We Need Your Help!
Program activities would not be possible without volunteers. If you can volunteer your time, or would like more information about what volunteering looks like, please email Amanda Adams, amanda@growingchefs.ca.
We also know that not everyone is in a place to make a donation right now, and we understand. But, if you or your employer are, we hope you’ll Order Up* a chef-prepared meal for a family in need with a donation today! Each time you place an order, you provide fresh, healthy, restaurant-quality meals, salad making kits, fresh produce, and pantry staples to local families in need, RIGHT NOW.
$5 Order up an individual serving (every donation matters!)
$20 Order up one meal for a family of 4
$50 Order up three days of meals for a family of 4
$100 Order up meals for one family of 4 for a week
$200 Order up meals for two families of 4 for a week
$500 Order up meals for five families of 4 for a week
* This project is a partnership and contact and donation information will be shared with both charities, Growing Chefs! and Fresh Roots.
The cost of LunchLAB: Chefs for Families is $77,000 per month and donations are required to continue operation.
Financially Supported By:
Two generous anonymous family foundations
Additional individuals in the community
Participating Collaborators:
Italian Cultural Centre provides LunchLAB with:
In-kind use of their entire facility and equipment to prepare, portion, and distribute the meals
Leadership, expertise and culinary talent from their Executive Chef Jackson Noah, their chefs, staff, and catering division
Community connections and supplier connections for in-kind support and donated food/fresh produce.
Ono Vancouver provides LunchLAB with:
Support developing the new LunchLAB program concept, model, scale, and operations
Leadership, expertise, and culinary talent from Executive Chef TJ Conwi, one of the LunchLAB chef-in-residences, and his team of chefs
Community connections and supplier connections for in-kind support and donated food/fresh produce.
Vancouver School Board provides LunchLab with:
The list of participating families. Each week, the Manager of Enhanced Services and Youth and Family Workers from across the VSB sign up families they feel will best benefit from participating in the meal program.
Program Contacts:
Helen Stortini | Executive Director, Growing Chefs!
helen@growingchefs.ca | 778-858-0909
Alexa Pitoulis | Interim Executive Director, Fresh Roots
alexa@freshroots.ca | 778-764-0DIG (0344), ext. 101
Communications/Fundraising Contacts:
Jaydeen Williams | Development & Communications Director, Growing Chefs!
jaydeen@growingchefs.ca | 604-710-1677
Caroline Manuel | Communications and Engagement Manager, Fresh Roots
caroline@freshroots.ca | 778-764-0DIG (0344), ext. 108
#LunchLAB #ChefsForFamilies #OrderUp #GrowingChefs #FreshRoots