What We Do

Food First NL supports communities to carry out Community-Led Food Assessments which generate local solutions to food security challenges

 

Towards a Community-Led Food Assessment for St. John’s

Food First NL is undertaking a food assessment of St. John’s, built on the Our Food NL model of Community-Led Food Assessments and elements of a City-Region Food Assessment Programme.

Expected outcomes of this work include:

  • Increased awareness and engagement with food issues in St. John’s.

  • Increased engagement, collaboration, and coordination in advancing food security in the City of St. John’s

  • See food embedded in the City of St. John’s Strategies, Programs, and Policies.

 

“People understand their community’s strengths and know where things need to improve, and they’re best equipped to develop solutions that will work locally.”

 

Stages of the St. John’s Food Assessment:

  1. Environmental Scan: Collect information on food security and the food system in St. John’s, including policies, programs, as well as relevant health, environmental, and economic indicators.

  2. Asset-Gap Analysis: Engage residents in identifying strengths within the community and existing programs, as well as gaps in programs, services, and policies.

  3. Priority Setting: Engage residents in identifying priority areas for both program and policy action.

  4. Action Planning: Work with community leaders to develop a food action plan for St. John’s. Summer 2021

To ensure a community-led approach, activities are supported by a network of Food Animators:

  • Recruited from within each of the five wards of the City of St. John’s.

  • Trained to lead engagement and planning processes of the assessment.

    Learn more!