A non-profit organization and Public Libraries N.L. are working together to improve access to food and library services.
Noah Johnston
Kicker
It was a scene you could find at any supermarket across the country. Children paced impatiently down aisles or clung to pant legs while parents tapped on turnips and squeezed tomatoes to check for ripeness.
Except the Froude Avenue Community Centre is not a supermarket.
Once a month, the centre’s rec room transforms into a produce section because of Food On The Move – a community initiative bringing mobile produce markets all over St. John’s.
In 2020, local non-profit group Food First NL began a project called the St. John’s food assessment, aimed at helping it fulfill its mission of realizing “a province where everyone can eat with joy and dignity.” The research left Food First with a clear takeaway: Parts of St. John’s were facing food insecurity.
Food First created Food On The Move to address gaps – and to bring good-quality, affordable food to places where it was not easily available. To accomplish that goal, the program uses funding from municipal, provincial and federal grants alongside private donations to purchase fresh produce at wholesale prices, then sells it at-cost at various pop-up locations across the city.
Program coordinator Leah Vatcher says it’s all about meeting people where they are.
“It’s about bringing affordable food to communities,” Vatcher said. “It’s also about community connection. Food is such a connector.”
The library connection
To aid in that community connection, N.L. Public Libraries regularly offers mobile library services alongside Food On The Move. Tables piled high with books and DVDs sit across from the aisle of produce.
St. John’s regional librarian Emma Craig described the partnership as a perfect fit.
“A lot of the spots that Food On The Move visits also happen to be service deserts for us,” Craig said. “We only have three public libraries in St. John’s, which isn’t a lot for such a large place.”
At Library On The Go, the standard suite of library services is available on-site. Library cards can be created and books or other items can be checked out or returned.
For some people, Craig says, this can be their only interaction with the library. She sees this as a win for a system looking to reach people in areas where there are gaps in availability.
According to Craig, library use has been on the decline in the province since the pandemic. To try to generate new users, an N.L. Public Libraries board member suggested offering mobile library services. In 2022, another member offered to make the connection with Food First.
The two groups felt that the partnership would be a natural success. The targeted locations for both groups were aligned, and the mobile library helped enhance the “community event” feeling that Food On The Move was looking to foster. They have been collaborating closely ever since.
When it comes to addressing service gaps in St. John’s, Vatcher and Craig are of one mind. It’s about getting out and meeting people where they are.
Food On The Move’s stops are always open to the public. You can find upcoming dates at foodstjohns.ca.
Be the first to comment