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 HALTON HILLS – For about an hour on Tuesday February 23rd, the cafeteria of the Civic Centre gained a distinctive aroma. The scent in the air reminded visitors and Town staff of the fresh produce found at a farmers’ market on a warm summer’s day. However, why this scent at the Civic Centre, especially in
February?
On the recommendation of the Town’s Staff Sustainability Team, a group composed of Town staff dedicated to sustainability, the Office of Sustainability
introduced the Halton Fresh Food Box program for Town staff. The Halton Fresh Food Box program promotes affordable and healthy eating, and supports local farmers by sourcing locally grown and seasonal foods, as much as possible. The Halton Fresh Food Box is run by over 150 volunteers, and is partly funded by Halton Region and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. For neighbourhoods in Acton and Georgetown, the food boxes are packaged on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Georgetown Christian Fellowship Church. Delivery occurs using a hybrid truck.
Participating Town staff receive a box of fresh produce once a month. Each box typically includes between 12 and 15 different kinds of fresh produce, typically
sourced from within a 100 km radius of Halton Region. The produce is selected based on availability, the season, quality, freshness and price. In out-of-season
months (e.g. during the winter), typically approximately 50% of the food box’s contents is sourced locally, whereas during the Ontario growing season (e.g.
during the summer), the aim is to have 100% of the produce sourced locally.
Depending on the size of the food box, participating Town staff pay either $13 or $17 per month to participate. On the first delivery date, February 23rd, Town staff picked up their first load of fresh food weighing over 600 pounds, thereby taking a big bite of local food! All this food gave the Civic Centre cafeteria a unique farmers’ market aroma. By participating in the Fresh Food Box program, Town staff are helping make a difference by:
- Eating fresh and nutritious produce;
- Enjoying healthy living;
- Supporting local agriculture and farmers;
- Reducing air pollution by purchasing foods that are locally grown rather than picked when not ripe and transported thousands of kilometers, especially during the Ontario growing season;
- Creating a sense of community;
- Building an awareness of sustainability; and
- Helping to implement the Green Plan.
If you or your organization is interested in learning more about the Halton Fresh Food Box program, please contact Brenda Moher, Program Manager of the
Halton Fresh Food Box program at 905.634.8645 or at
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. Any local produce growers interested in supplying the Halton Fresh Food Box are also invited to contact the Program Manager.
For more information on the Town’s sustainability initiatives, please contact Damian Szybalski (Sustainability Coordinator) at 905.873.2601 ext. 2289 or at
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. The most current information is available at: www.haltonhills.ca/sustainability.
For further information contact:
Damian Szybalski
Sustainability Coordinator
Planning, Development and Sustainability
905.873.2601 ext. 2289
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