Transforming Tea and Toast Program

Background

Seniors in our community have been suffering the impacts of COVID-19 in a severe way, which
created a need to facilitate programs that benefit the nutritional intake, foster social integration
and improving the wellbeing of seniors in our communities by offering produce boxes with
locally grown produce, as well as food security, fruit and vegetable consumption, and physical
literacy of participants.
The Public Health Authority of Canada (PHAC) is supporting this initiative primarily intended to
support (and expand, if possible) ongoing programs at each of the Island Food Hubs. Individuals
aged 55 and older are eligible to participate in this program where fostering healthy eating can
counter the risk of malnutrition and chronic conditions in older adults such as diabetes, heart
disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia. It's critical to support our aged population
from health inequities, the challenges of physical disability, social isolation, mental health,
chronic disease, restricted income, and escalating costs of maintaining independence.
We believe that if we create community support where our Senior population has access to
locally grown, fresh produce, processed goods, and a support network, their life would change
significantly.

Goals

Transforming Tea and Toast: Bringing Seniors Together for Health aims to promote health
behavior change by connecting seniors to community resources and strengthening social
interactions through community-level programs.
This initiative is happening in partnership with Island Food Hubs, the Public Health Authority,
and the Capital Region Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable.
The activities of these projects are the following:


1. Distribution of Good Food Box: The distribution of food boxes every two weeks will
increase access to local healthy foods
2. Distribution of gift cards from your favorite grocery stores
3. Nutrition education and outdoor activities: Nutrition educational activities such as group
nutrition education, cooking groups, fresh produce programs, food workshops, gardening
and being physically active together.

Our Programming will be tailored to meet the mobility and individual needs of the participants.

Program evaluation

The project is a partnership with the University of Victoria, Island Health, and the Island Food
Hubs. The overall goal of the research project is to better understand if the Tea and Toast
Program benefits the health, food security, food literacy, fruit and vegetable consumption, and
physical literacy of participants.
The evaluation would consist of a baseline survey before the program begins and you would also conduct a follow-up survey after the program ends. You can also participate in an optional
interview after the program ends. Participants will receive $20 as a token for each of the surveys and the interview.


●Evaluation is a secondary goal we will be primarily focused on the function of the
programs (GFBs and non-GFBs) and providing good programming that meets the needs
of those who need it most,
●Evaluation will likely look a bit different at each IFH, but we’d like to try to keep the
process approximately the same, so please let us know if you plan to deviate substantially
from this overview of the plan.
●If you agree to participate in this project, we will invite you to complete a baseline and a
follow-up survey, which should both take about 20 minutes.

Program evaluation

You can register for this program by filling out the form. If you need assistance please email ariel@crfair.ca

 

CRFAIR promotes healthy and sustainable food systems.  This considers our relationships with each other, and the land and waters of this region.  We endeavour to honour the land and its treaties by strengthening our relationship and responsibilities to them. We live and work on unceded Coast Salish Territories*, specifically of the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees) and Xwsepsum (Esquimalt) Nations here in the core area, the W̱SÁNEĆ Nations {W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip), BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin), SȾÁUTW̱,(Tsawout) W̱SIKEM (Tseycum)} out on the Saanich Peninsula and Gulf Islands, to the west Sc'ianew (Beecher Bay), T’Sou-ke, and Pacheedaht, and MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) and Pune’laxutth’ (Penelekut) Nations.

The presence of settlers (non-Indigenous peoples who live on these lands) is not neutral; it has had and continues to have devastating impacts on many aspects of life for Indigenous peoples. Many of our practices, including the seeds we plant, the ways we educate, and our methods of growing food came to these lands through the ongoing process of colonialism. Settler colonialism has suppressed local well-being by harming Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ food systems, whether they be land-based or of the sky and sea. We hold this understanding in our interactions and engagements with this land and its people. 

There is important work being done by many nations and allies to ensure the continued thriving of these food systems, communities, and knowledge systems. Those of us who are settlers need to recognize that our knowledge and way of doing things may not be the priority as we work towards food security for everyone in this region.

* The term Coast Salish is used to encompass a number of Indigenous peoples, including Esquimalt, Hul’qumi’num, Klahoose, Lekwungen, MALAXEt, Musqueam, OStlq’emeylem, Pentlatch, Scia’new (Beecher Bay), Sliammon, Shishalh, Skxwú7mesh-ulh Úxwumixw, Stó:lo, Straits, Tsleil-Waututh, T’Sou-ke, W̱SÁNEĆ, and Xwemalhkwu.