About

The Food Program

The funky offspring of the Galiano Club, the Food Program strives to increase Galiano Island's food security through community-building activities and skills sharing.

In 2005, the Galiano Club began upgrading its South Galiano Community Hall kitchen and expand the services provided to the Galiano community.The kitchen was completed in 2007 and the Galiano Community Hall is now the home of the Food Program and its many activities (among other things).

Thanks to our many funders (Vancouver Foundation, the Victoria Foundation, DASH BC, VanCity, the Vancouver Island health Authority, the YMCA, New Horizons For Seniors initiative of the Government of Canada,our local Parks and Recreation Commission and many members of the Galiano community), we were abe to launch the Galiano Community Food Program in 2008.

Decisions are made in consultation with the community, by a steering committee, and implemented by the two part-time coordinators, Janice Oakley and Martine Paulin. We are a non-profit organization that relies heavily on the work of our many volunteer supporters and on funding from various organizations and individuals. Most of our activities are either free, or by donation, thus ensuring the inclusiveness of our initiatives.

Since its inception, the Food Program has known many successes,and we have received many invitations from neighbouring communities who wished to launch similar programs in their own communities, to share our knowledge and experiences with them. The Community Food Program was the recipient of the 2009 Galiano Community School Environmental Award and our coordinators were nominated for the 2009 Islands Trust Stewardship Awards.We now count over 360 prticipants, 60+ volunteers and continue to create links with on-island, as well as off-island, organizations through our events, workshops, food growing initiatives and educational opportunities.

The program has resulted in creating a more confident, hopeful and closely-knit community, increasing food security on Galiano, making Galiano a more interesting place to live, sharing of resources and ideas and knowledge related to food in all its aspects.

We hope you take the time to look through our website to discover the many facets of our Program!! You can also join us on Facebook under Galiano Community Food Program or e-mail us your feedback and ideas at galianofoodprograms@gmail.com.