Course:LFS350/Projects/Fall2016/GNH PWYC
Project Summary
Purpose
This project is an exciting opportunity to experience the process of planning, preparing and serving a healthy, low-cost meals to a group of 25-30 guests
- Plan, implement, and evaluate healthy, low-cost and delicious meals at Gordon Neighbourhood House Community Lunch program
Areas of Focus
- Food literacy
- Healthy and low-cost meal planning and preparation
Skills
- Developing healthy and low-cost meals
- Recipe, meal and dining experience evaluation
Location
- Gordon Neighbourhood House
- Address: 1019 Broughton St, Vancouver, BC V6G 2A7
- West End of Vancouver
Special Considerations
- Food Safe certification and experience preparing a meals for 25-30 people are an asset!
- Pay-What-You-Can lunches run on Wednesdays, with volunteers typically working from 10:30am or 11am to 2pm
- Comfortable with serving food to seniors and members of the community
Background Information
Community Lunches at Gordon House are an opportunity for community members to enjoy a meal together, meet new people, and catch up with friends in a casual environment. The nutritious, low-cost lunches are made possible by a great group of volunteers who prepare, set-up for, serve, and clean-up after the lunch.
The Community Lunches and associated initiatives support our Food Philosophy, and our work as a Good Food Organization. http://cfccanada.ca/good-food-organizations
Organization Information
Name
Gordon Neighbourhood House
Vision + Mission
Vision: As a place-based community organization, we work alongside our community, sister organizations, local businesses and policy-makers to animate and support dynamic programs, services and initiatives that respond to the needs and dreams of the community.
Mission: Gordon Neighbourhood House strives to ensure that the West End of Vancouver is a vibrant and active community, where everyone is empowered to play an active role in civil society.
Principles + Goals
- Gordon Neighbourhood House offers a wide variety of programs (many of which are related to food).
- Our Food Philosophy is detailed on our website: http://gordonhouse.org/about-gordon-neighbourhood-house/right-to-food/
- Gordon Neighbourhood House uses food to nourish our community in a variety of ways, including the facilitation of intercultural exchange and dialogue, community capacity-building, and community development.
Principles:
- An understanding that food brings us together and can act as vehicle for community-building.
- A recognition that all members of our community have a Right to Food based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, while also acknowledging that we as a community enjoy various levels of access to food.
- A commitment to sharing fresh, non-expired, healthy, and locally-sourced food whenever possible.
- A commitment to sharing food that is nutrient-dense, low in refined sugar and sodium, and not overly-processed.
- A commitment to working toward increased access to food for those who are nutritionally vulnerable.
- A commitment to providing opportunities for increased food literacy and community capacity-building for our neighbours.
- A commitment to sharing foods that reflect the diversity of our community, city, country and world.
- An awareness of the impact that our food choices have on the environment.
- A commitment to the reduction of our organizational ecological footprint by minimizing packaging and ongoing composting.
- Support for the development of urban farms and healthy food cooperatives.
Primary Contact
- Contact Person(s): Stephanie Shulhan
- Email: stephanie@gordonhouse.org
- Address: 1019 Broughton Street
- Phone: 604 683 2554
- Website: www.gordonhouse.org
- Best time(s) method(s) to contact: Email
Project Description
- Plan, implement, and evaluate two healthy, low-cost meals with the GNH Community Lunches Pay-What-You-Can program
Skills Preferred
- Interpersonal skills
- Basic recipe, meal planning and culinary skills
- Comfortable with basic food prep (this could be making soup and sandwiches/wraps, or another simple but nutritious meal)
Skills to Be Developed
- Educational workshop planning
- Communication with diverse community members
- Food literacy
Preferred Days of Week and Hours
- Pay-What-You-Can lunches run on Wednesdays, with volunteers typically working from 10:30am or 11am to 2pm
Project/Partner Orientation
- Orientation will consist of helping to set-up for and serve community lunch (at least one) at Gordon House in order to get oriented to the kitchen, the chef, the House, and the community.
Experiential Learning Opportunities
- Students will have the opportunity to participate in community lunches (Monday – Thursday 11am – 2pm)
Expected Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
I hope students will learn about…
- How to plan and deliver a nutritious, affordable community meal on a budget (as a team!)
I think students will come to appreciate…
- The importance to seniors and other community members of having a safe, welcoming place to enjoy a community meal that is healthy and affordable.
Students will develop a…
- Good sense of what goes into running a community lunch program at a non-profit neighbourhood association.
Organizational Outcomes
- Support in offering community lunches
- "Fresh" perspectives on our typical menu items and community lunch process