TLCC Job Posting

Trout Lake/Cedar Cottage Food Security Network Society (TLCC)

JOB POSTING

Position Title:                  TLCC Coordinator

Reports to:                         TLCC Board of Directors

Term of Contract:           Starts immediately until end of June 2011 with possibility of extension

Hourly Wage:                   $20.00/hr, 10 hrs/wk.  Flexible schedules can be negotiated. 

Deadline:                            Applications must be received by 4:30pm, March 8^th 2011

Description of Position:

The TLCC Coordinator will oversee overall TLCC coordination and support related activities with the following goals:

• Primarily responsible for actively pursuing &  securing sustainable and ongoing funding for the TLCC activities
• Support and maintain the existing pocket markets at Brant Villa and developing  one new pocket market. 
• Regular distribution of relevant information to Network members.  Coordinate and facilitate monthly TLCC Board meetings
• Build community capacity to be involved in food security initiatives and increase awareness of available food security resources and networking opportunities.

Roles and Responsibilities:

·         Identify funding opportunities, develop grant proposals and create a “sustainability plan”.

·         Identify and sustain opportunities for capacity building and partnerships between community leaders and agencies which would help support the work of the TLCC over the long term. 

·         Maintain and develop an email distribution list and blog.  Develop promotional materials for Network activities.

·         Monitor program finances, maintain accurate financial records, and ensure responsible budget implementation.

·         Collaborate with other food security networks in Vancouver to share resources and identify opportunities for strengthening working relationships.     

Qualifications:

·         Sound understanding of food security principles and the spectrum of food based programs in Vancouver

·         Confident leadership experience with community development and capacity building approaches to project development.

·         Experience with community work and committee based processes, particularly related to pocket markets or farmer’s markets

·         Grant and funding report writing skills

·         Strong communication and computer skills, organization and time-management

·         Must have a valid Food Safe certificate or be willing to obtain one.

·         Experience with volunteer supervision, recruitment and training

NOTE:  this position requires use of your own vehicle and may require access to a home based workspace. 

Applications will be accepted until 4:30pm, March 8^th 2011. 

Please submit your resume and cover letter to:

TLCC Food Security Board of Directors

Attn: Marlene Bell at spiritros@telus.net or Fax: 604-873-4402

Talk Green Vancouver potluck on Wed. Feb 16

TLCC Newsletter, February 2011
This month's newsletter includes:

• Talk Green Vancouver neighbourhood potluck in Cedar Cottage
• Information about a new seed saving collective in Cedar Cottage
• News about the first ever House of Commons debate on genetic engineering and what you can do to support it
• Two local food related job postings

TLCC's next Pocket Market!
Date: Saturday February 19th
Time: 10am-1pm
Location: 2290 E 25th Ave (Just west of the Nanaimo SkyTrain station.
Map: TLCC Pocket Market location

The TLCC Pocket market has great prices as always on organic or local produce. Shop and save while supporting access to healthy foods for those who have low income! The Pocket Market Coupon model has worked so well that it will be used as part of a food security program run by South Vancouver Neighbourhood House for residents in their area.

Please drop by on the 19th!

Talk Green Vancouver Potluck Invite
Join your friends and neighbours for a community potluck and Greenest City conversation!

TLCC and Talk Green Vancouver (the City of  Vancouver's Greenest City initiative) invite you to share a meal, share some great conversation and share your ideas about Vancouver’s plan to become the Greenest City in the world by 2020. It’s going to take actions – small and large – from the whole city to achieve the vision of a bright green future for our city and our planet. Thousands of residents contributed to creating 10 draft action plans. Find out what’s in them, add your feedback and share ideas with your neighbours about how you can help create the greenest city in the world.

Please bring food to share, serving plate and spoon as well as a plate, fork, knife etc for yourself. We will have access to the kitchen to heat things up if necessary.

Join us and talk green!
Date: Wednesday Feb 16th
Time: 7:00 to 9:00pm
Location: Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House, 4065 Victoria Drive

Give your input to the draft Greenest City plans and find out how you can get involved at www.talkgreenvancouver.ca

Cedar Cottage Seed Saving Collective
A new group has formed through Village Vancouver in Cedar Cottage that will focus on seed saving in our neighbourhood. They are interested in creating a local source of seeds as a way to address global pressures from the patenting of seeds, genetic modification and climate change. They are looking for others who have experience with growing and seed saving using natural "organic" growing methods to join the collective.

Their next meeting is, a vegetarian potluck is on:
Date:Sunday Feb, 6th
Time: 10am -noon
RSVP: www.villagevancouver.ca/events please RSVP through the Village Vancouver site.

email: ccseedsavingcollective@gmail.com
blog:  ccseedsavers.wordpress.com

House of Commons debate on genetically engineered seeds
Victory for Canada on Genetic Engineering! Unprecedented debate on Bill C-474, February 8.The actions of Canadians like you are working! Despite biotech industry attempts to shut down debate, on December 1st in the House of Commons, the New Democratic Party secured a new 5-hour debate on Bill C-474 and the impacts of genetic engineering for February 8. Bill C-474 would support Canadian farmers by requiring that “an analysis of potential harm to export markets be conducted before the sale of any new genetically engineered seed is permitted.” If the Bill is passed this February it would stop GE wheat and GE alfalfa. The final vote on Bill C-474 will happen on February 9th in the House of Commons and there will be a 5-hour debate the day before! This type of debate on genetic engineering in the House of Commons has never happened before! Now every MP will have a chance to participate in the debate on Bill C-474.

Watch the video on Bill C-474: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH9NwvrVh3U

Actions before Feb 9th to support Canadian farmers:
Email your Member of Parliament to ask them to support the Bill and speak up in the debate – you can send your letter instantly from http://www.cban.ca/474action

Jobs in Local Food

PART-TIME COORDINATOR:  FARM TO SCHOOL COORDINATOR, GREATER VANCOUVER AREA
The Public Health Association of British Columbia in conjunction with their partners at Vancouver Coastal Health, the Vancouver School Board, the Richmond School Board and the University of British Columbia’s Eat&Think Green@School Initiative are pleased to announce that they have received a grant from Vancity enviroFund to increase the amount of local food served in five schools in the Richmond, Vancouver and West Vancouver area.

The  Group, the Greater Vancouver Farm to School Committee, seek the services of a Farm to School Coordinator The one year part-time coordinator will be responsible for sourcing local foods and farms for schools and developing agreements with farmers to grow foods for 5 schools. Details are outlined in job description at
http://communitykitchens.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/feb14-farm_to_school_coordinator_jd_vancouverregion.pdf.

Interested applicants must email their resume and cover letter to Sarah Carten, sarah.carten@vch.ca by noon on Monday, February 14th, 2011.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Sarah Carten, (604) 675-3988 x 20340, sarah.carten@vch.ca
APPLICATION DEADLINE:  Monday, February 14th, 2011.


FARMFOLK/CITYFOLK LOWER MAINLAND FEAST OF FIELDS COORDINATOR
For job description and details on how to apply, visit the FarmFolk/CityFolk website at: http://www.ffcf.bc.ca/about_us/get_involved.html

CONTRACT DATES:  April 1, 2011 to October 31, 2011
LOCATION:  Vancouver, BC
APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 15.

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That's it for this month.

Erin
blog: tlccfoodsecurity@blogspot.com

Trout Lake Cedar Cottage Food Security Network Newsletter for January 2011

Hi, I hope that 2011 got off to a good start for you.

If you have a hankering for food security at its best, I suggest registering for Will Allen's free presentation at the Croatian Cultural Centre on January 27th. This man has been very successful in teaching people with his special brand of enthusiasm how to grow food in the urban core. Registration details below. It's bound to fill up fast as the date approaches.

Of course there is also tomorrow's Pocket Market where you can buy fresh quality produce at VERY reasonable prices. The market has moved to Saturdays:

TLCC Pocket Market
Day: Saturday January 15th
Time: 10am to 1pm
Place: 2290 E 25th Ave, just west of the Nanaimo SkyTrain Station

Just follow the directional signs. Here is the array produce you'll see tomorrow:

LOCAL (BC)
Ambrosia Apples
Cabbage
White Mushrooms
Yukon Gold Potatoes

ORGANIC
Bananas, South America
Carrots, California

NOT LOCAL or ORGANIC
Avocados, Mexico
Oranges, California
Broccoli, California

Will Allen, Growing Out of Hunger
Day: Thursday, January 27, 2011,
Time: 7-9pm
Place: Croatian Cultural Centre 3250 Commercial Drive (and 14th)

This lecture is free, however pre-registration is required.

There is still time to register for the second annual Bruce and Lis Welch Community Dialogue featuring Will Allen, CEO, Growing Power Community Food Centre, Milwaukee & Chicago: Join us and find out how Will Allen, urban farmer and community activist, is dedicated to supporting low income and small family farmers and bringing healthy, affordable food to urban areas. Will has over fifty years experience in farming, marketing and distributing food and has shared this knowledge with youth, adults, community groups, immigrants, farmers and consumers. Winner of the $500,000 MacArthur Genius Fellowship in 2008, Will Allen is transforming the cultivation, production, and delivery of healthy foods to under-served urban populations.

Visit Will Allen's blog.

Tree Pruning Service by Vancouver Fruit Tree
The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project wishes you a happy, fruitful new year! We are excited to announce that we will be offering small scale pruning services! Martin Anevich, a senior undergraduate student in Human Geography at UBC, has been trained pruning fruit trees in the Okanagan, and his university specialization is urban food systems. While not a professional, Martin is still able to give your fruit tree some tender lovin’ care, to help it develop more healthfully, beautiful, manageable and fruitful for the coming years. The service will be offered by donation, and proceeds will support the Vancouver Fruit Tree Project and offset the pruning program's transportation and equipment costs. As the cost of professional pruning can often be quite substantial, this is a great opportunity to care for your trees while supporting the Project’s community work. Unfortunately, because a service is given in return for the donation, we cannot issue tax receipts for pruning.

This service will begin in a couple weeks! If interested, you can email Martin at: manevich@interchange.ubc.ca or call him at 604-700-4460.

Workshops: Winter Cultivating Food, Cultivating Community Series
Over a dozen workshops, presentations, and gatherings focusing on growing food and cultivating community from January 9-March 27th. Organized by Ross Moster, Village Vancouver and Strathcona Community Centre.

Location: Strathcona Community Centre (601 Keefer St)
Workshops and dates:
Jan. 23 Garden Planning & Preparation workshop with Grant Watson
Jan. 25 Backyard Chickens 101 workshop with Duncan Martin
Feb. 6 Food Crops: Selection and Care workshop w/Grant Watson
Feb. 8 How to Create a Village in a City dialogue w/Ross Moster
Feb. 20 Food Crops: Selection and Care workshop w/Grant Watson
Feb. 27 Seed Saving in the City workshops with Robin Wheeler and other BC Seedswomen
Mar. 6 Soil Fertility and Plant Health Management w/Grant Watson
Mar. 19 Gardening for the Faint of Heart w/Robin Wheeler
Mar. 19 Intensive Urban Microfarming workshop w/Robin Wheeler
Mar. 27 Soil Fertility and Plant Health Management w/Grant Watson
Mar. 29 Backyard Chickens 101 workshop w/Duncan Martin

Community Kitchen Leadership Workshop
During this workshop you will have the opportunity to find out more about community kitchens, different ways a group can work and how you can lead or start a community kitchen.  Learn the history of the community kitchen movement and the effect it has had around the province. Hear about the different kitchen models that run successfully in our communities. Experience a community kitchen first hand! Lunch will be provided.

Date: Thurs, Feb 10, 2011
Time: 9:00 am - 2:30 pm
Location: Vancouver Food Bank, 1150 Raymur Ave.
Cost: $45.00 (lunch provided).
To register: Contact Darlene Tanaka, at 604-216-2325 or darlenet@foodbank.bc.ca or complete and send in the Community Kitchen Leadership Workshop Registration Form.

Please note: Payment required upon registration. Cancellations must be done at the latest, 72 hours before. No refunds for no-shows. The workshop may be rescheduled if registration numbers are not met.

Subsidies:  Due to a grant from Campbell Company of Canada,  travel and accommodation subsidies are available to those traveling in BC for more than 100 km to get to the workshop. You must apply by Thurs, Jan 21 for this February workshop. For more information, see our application form

Workshop: Foodsafe Level 1
We all have questions when it comes to food safety. What should we be concerned with when handling food in our kitchens? What's safe and what isn't in our day-to-day work in the kitchen? Come learn the basics about safe food handling in a friendly classroom environment. This is a provincially recognized course taught by qualified instructors. It is suitable for individuals who have a grade 8 or higher reading comprehension level.

Date/Time:  Sat, Feb 5, 2011 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location: Vancouver Food Bank, 1150 Raymur Ave.
Cost: $50.00 - $95.00 (sliding scale)

To register: Contact Darlene Tanaka, at 604-216-2325 or darlenet@foodbank.bc.ca or complete and send in the FoodSafe Registration Form.

For more information:  Visit our FAQs on the FoodSafe course. Please note: Lunch is not provided, so please bring a lunch. Registration is limited to 20 per class. Payment required upon registration. Cancellations must be done at the latest, 72 hours before. No refunds for no-shows. The workshop may be rescheduled if registration numbers are not met.

Grant: The Rebuilding Nature Grant Program
Application deadline:  Feb 11, 2011.For community groups to cover the costs of tools and building projects, native plants and trees, and other expenses in support of environmental stewardship projects.
Amount: $1,000, $3,000 or $12,000 plus $2,000 in The Home Depot gift cards. For more information: Visit Evergreen. Supported by The Home Depot Canada Foundation and led by Evergreen.

Grant: TOYOTA EVERGREEN Learning Grounds School Ground Greening Grants
For schools wishing to create outdoor classrooms and food gardens to provide students with a healthy place to play, learn and develop a genuine respect for nature. Amount: $500 to $3,500 for publicly funded Canadian schools (JK-Grade 12); $500 to $2,000 for not-for-profit daycares. Now accepting applications. Deadlines: March 4, 2011 (spring planting), June 3, 2011 (late spring/early summer or early fall planting). For more information go to Evergreen's website

Contest: Good Food Hero Comic Contest
Students from across Canada are invited to create their own comic and enter it in the Canada's Good Food Hero Comic Contest. There are 3 age categories for the contest:  1) Kindergarten - Grade 4   2)   Grade 5 - 8  and 3)  Grade 9 - 12. Application deadline: March 1, 2011. This is your chance to get creative and create awareness about food in Canada. Winners will receive awesome prizes, and the top 10 entries from each age group will be featured in the Good Food Hero Comic. Book, to be printed and distributed across the country in a 32-page colour booklet! Review the criteria and contest guidelines and complete the application form. For more information: Visit the Food Secure Canada website
--
Trout Lake Cedar Cottage Food Security Network
email: tlccfoodsecurity@gmail.com

Pocket Markets in 2011

3rd Saturday of the month,

January 15

February 19

March 19

April 16
May 21

June 18

Last Pocket Market in 2010

  Sunday, December 5th

Produce for this Sunday's pocket market

LOCAL (BC)
Gala apples
Cabbage
Beets
White mushrooms
Yukon potatoes
Campari tomatoes
Butternut squash

 
ORGANIC 

Green leaf lettuce
Sweet Potatoes 

Mandarins oranges

 

Trout Lake Cedar Cottage Food Security Network newsletter for November 2010

A few people have asked how far their money can go at TLCC's monthly Pocket Market. In the photo you see what $10.40 in cash (or 8 Pocket Market Coupons) was able to purchase at the last Pocket Market held on Nov 14th. We think it's a great deal!

Local organic: Swiss chard

Non local, organic: Bananas

Local non-organic: Gala apples, russet potatoes, beets, peppers, tomatoes and carrots

Low income, Pocket Market Coupon participants buy 8 coupons for $8.00. TLCC then buys local and/or organic produce at a wholesaler and passes these savings on to coupon holders. Cash sales have a small mark-up over wholesale prices. Profits from these cash sales go to support the program.

In October, TLCC asked you what you'd like to see more of in 2011. Overwhelmingly, members chose workshops. Sometime between February and the end of March we will be hosting 2 workshops, 1. Growing mushrooms, 2. Drying fruit and vegetables. I am looking for workshop facilitators. If you or someone you know has the skills, knowledge and appetite to give a workshop on these topics, let me know!

Next TLCC Pocket Market:
Day: Sunday, December 5th
Time: 10am to 1pm
Place: 2290 E 25th Ave, just west of the Nanaimo SkyTrain Station
Link: Map to Pocket Market
Link: December winter food calendar "wallpaper" for your computer


Here's a summary of this month's newsletter:

1. Bella Coola Flood - Farm Fundraiser Film Event
2. Evergreen Foundation, a chance to give back to a really great organization
3. Community Kitchen Leadership Workshop
4. Permaculture Design and Community Resilience Workshop

Bella Coola Flood - Farm Fundraiser & Film Event
Day: Tues, Dec 7,
Time: 6pm
Place: Britannia Community Centre - Canuck's Family Education Centre (Upstairs Eastside Family Place)
Cost: $10, Silent Auction, food

Bella Coola farmers were recently hit by sever floods. Due to the realities of the agriculture industry the Bella Coola farmers work off the farm to make ends meet and are thus ineligible for Provincial Emergency Assistance. These farmers are key players in regenerating their local food system and in increasing the community's access to high quality local produce. The community lost over 270 tons of winter feed, livestock, fencing, equipment, tools, heritage seeds, heritage fruit trees, corrals and paddocks, barns, market gardens, pasture, and acreage washed down the river. We depend on our farmers for our food and they are appealing for our help.

Grandview Woodland Food Connection, FarmFolkCityFolk, Discovery Organics presents
Film: Mammalian, Canada, 2010
Day: Tues, Dec 7
Time: 6:30 - 7:30pm

Frank Wolf and Taku Hokoyama strike out on a 2,000 km Arctic canoe journey through the largest wilderness area in North America. With a sense of humour and purpose, they track down politicians, First Nation chiefs, elders and others living in the few communities that frame the wilderness in order to present a clear picture of the area and the issues that face the land and its people.

• Official Entry - Vancouver Film Festival, 2010

Film: Force of Nature, Canada, 2010
Day: Tues, Dec 7
Time: 8 - 9:30pm
(Please note: Film change. Wasteland cannot be screened at this time)

The film interweaves the Force of Nature lecture with scenes from Suzuki's life and lifetime – the major social, scientific, cultural and political events of the past 70 years.

In this biography of ideas, Suzuki articulates a core, urgent message: We have exhausted the limits of the biosphere and it is imperative that we rethink our relationship with the natural world. He looks unflinchingly at the strains on the interconnected web of life and offers up a blueprint for sustainability and survival.

Evergreen Foundation, a chance to give back to a great organization
You may have seen the amazing work being done by members and volunteers of the Cedar Cottage Garden. This was in part funded by the Evergreen Foundation through their Walmart Grant.

Evergreen has submitted a project called Nature Playground to the Aviva Community Fund and they need you to help them succeed. Nature Playground will provide the opportunity for children to connect with nature at Evergreen Brick Works in the best way possible: through food, play and hands-on learning. For more information about Evergreen Brick Works, please follow this link: http://ebw.evergreen.ca/

Help children connect with, play in and learn from nature by voting daily and telling your friends.
The way the fund works is that Nature Playground is competing with other projects through an online competition to make it to the final round of judging. Show your support for Evergreen and the Nature Playground by voting here: http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf9748


Community Kitchen Leadership Workshop
Day: Thurs, Dec 2, 2010
Time: 9:00 am - 2:30 pm
Location: Vancouver Food Bank, 1150 Raymur Ave.
Cost: $45.00 (lunch provided).
To register: Contact Darlene Tanaka, at 604-216-2325 or darlenet@foodbank.bc.ca
or complete and email the Community Kitchen Leadership Workshop Registration Form to Darlene.

For those of you who are interested in attending but must travel over 100km to get to Vancouver, travel and accommodation subsidies are available. For more information, see their subsidy application form.

During the leadership workshop you will have the opportunity to find out more about community kitchens, different ways a group can work and how you can lead or start a community kitchen. Learn the history of the community kitchen movement and the effect it has had around the province. Hear about the different kitchen models that run successfully in our communities. Experience a community kitchen first hand! Lunch will be provided. See their poster and share it in you community.

Please note: Payment required upon registration. Cancellations must be done at the latest, 72 hours before. No refunds for no-shows. The workshop may be rescheduled if registration numbers are not met.

Permaculture Design and Community Resilience
Saturday November 27th 9 - 5 and,
Sunday the November 28th 9 - noon
Cost: $100 / $50 students and seniors / scholarships available; no one turned away for lack of funds.
To register: Strathcona Community Centre 604.713.1838 (course no. 46500.401ST)
For scholarship or general information: Erin Innes erininnes@gmail.com or Ross Moster ross@villagevancouver.ca or visit www.villagevancouver.ca
Free public Post Carbon Visioning event to follow from 1-5

About the Workshop:
Learn how the fundamentals of Permaculture design can come out of the garden and into all aspects of our lives and community! This two-day workshop will show you the tools that Permaculture has to offer to redesign our social and cultural landscape for a localized, low-energy future. From our personal frustrations and fears to the global challenges we all share, this workshop is your chance to engage your head, heart, and hands in creating a more resilient and participatory response to peak oil, climate change, and energy descent.

What is Permaculture?
Permaculture is a system of tools, strategies, and methodologies for designing human systems that function like natural systems. Permaculture presents a way of understanding and taking action in the world that allows us to create a "permanent culture," from farming to economics to education, that is sustainable indefinitely and that becomes more abundant with time.

What is Resilience?
Resilience is the ability of a system -- an ecosystem, an economic system, a culture -- to withstand shocks, stresses, and upheavals, to evolve and adapt without losing its basic cohesion and form.

Eat well and eat local.