Course:LFS350/Projects/2014W1/T17
Project Title
Gordon Neighbourhood House Urban Farm Case Study
Organization Name
Gordon Neighborhood House (GNH)
Address
1019 Broughton Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 2A7
Website
www.gordonhouse.org
Community Partner Name
Andrew Christie
Community Food Advocate
Email Address
andrew@gordonhouse.org
Ph Number
604-683-2554 ext. 205
Availability for Contact
Monday to Friday 9-6pm
Project Scope Statement
The mandate of Gordon Neighbourhood House is to support their community by providing relevant programs, fostering leadership, social inclusion and meaningful opportunities for inter-cultural learning, community dialogue and education.
Many community organizations and groups have worked to provide some relief to those that are hungry in our community, but the demand on low-cost and emergency food sources continues to increase for those in need in our community – these local groups struggle to meet the increasing demand. In British Columbia, 20% more people access food banks today than in 2008. The reality of the quality of food traditionally available through charitable means is more often than not lacking in nutrients, with many being high-sodium, high in refined sugar, overly processed, overly packaged, a ubiquity of carbohydrates and virtually no fresh produce, dairy or protein sources.
GNH has worked to challenge people to think about the types of food that is made available to the materially poor. We focus on the provision of healthy, nutrient dense meals that are served with dignity and provided in a comfortable dining setting. In partnership with local landowners (currently Gordon Nelson Inc.), GNH has established a number of Community Herb Farms, providing a free, openly accessible place for members of our community to plant, grow and eat fresh herbs.
Goals and Objectives
The objective of this community project is to document the operational logistics and organizational relationships of the GNH Community Herb Farms as a model of institutional urban food production. The group will interview key stakeholders and collaborators of the community herb farms in order to characterize key elements of the operation, such as mandate, land ownership, labour, funding, and distribution channels. Further, the group will develop interactive maps to various Community Herb Farms.
Recommended Research Methods
Interviews, observations and organizational case study
Potential Information Sources
On Connect:
- Family Health International, Mack, N., Woodsong, C., United States, & Agency for International Development. (2005). Qualitative research methods a data collector’s field guide. North Carolina: FLI USAID.
- Kodish, S., & Gittelsohn, J. (n.d.). Building Credible and Clear Findings. Retrieved from http://www.sightandlife.org/fileadmin/data/Magazine/2011/25_2_2011/systematic_data_analysis_in_qualitative_health_research.pdf
- Pelto, G., & Armar-Klemesu, M. (2014). Focused Ethnographic Study of Infant and Young Child Feeding 6–23 Months: Behaviors, Beliefs, Contexts and Environments. (No. First Edition) (p. 45). Geneva, Switzerland: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
Example of Video Format [[1]]
Expected Outcomes/Deliverables
- A written report with figures and images that details the operational logistics and organizational relationships of the GNH Community Herb Farms.
- Interactive maps to various Community Herb Farms.
CSL Opportunities
West End Food Festival Volunteer Shifts CONTACT
Tiffany Eng and Kayla Church
foodfestvolunteers@gordonhouse.org
Community Lunch
Thursday (Sept 18th)
- 11am-2pm
- work in a team of 6-8 volunteers: setting up tables/chairs, setting tables, serving lunch, cleaning up
Brews and Chews
Thursday (Sept 18th), 6-10pm
- beer and food, highlighting craft beer and food pairings
- DJ Teyshan performing
-work in a team of 10-15 volunteers: set up, clean up, maybe serving
Butchery Basics
Friday (Sept 19th), times to be determined (approx. 1:30-4:30)
- help set up workshop, interact with guests
- work in a team of 2 volunteers plus workshop manager
- how to properly break down a whole chicken into retail cuts
Backyard Chicken 101
- Friday (Sept 19th), times to be determined (approx 3:30-5:30)
- help set up workshop, interact with guestswork in a team of 2 volunteers plus workshop manager
- family friendly workshop on keeping backyard chickens
Native Edibles
- Friday (Sept 19th), times to be determined (approx 6:30-8:30)
- help set up workshop, interact with guests
- work in a team of 2 volunteers plus workshop manager
- outside walking tour, how to identify and harvest wild edible and medicinal plants
Cheese Making Workshop
• Saturday (Sept 20th), 12:30-3:30, 2 volunteers needed
Healthy Eating Workshop Volunteers
- Saturday (Sept 20th), times to be determined (approx 12:30-3:30)
- help setting up workshops, interacting with guests
- work in a team of 2 volunteers plus workshop manager
- local nutritionist give tips on how to prepare delicious, affordable meals
Movie Night - Ratatouille Family Movie Night
Saturday (Sept 20th),
6-9pm: help set up, screen, and take down the movie night
• families encouraged to dress up as mice in pajamas
• work in a team of 2-3 volunteers
Community Potluck Volunteers
• Sunday (Sept 21st), 10:30-3:30 (option to sign up for only 10:30-12:30 or 12:30-3:30)
• work in a team of 10-12 volunteers
- help setting up, serving, and cleaning up a community potluck meal
- help welcome guests, and collect donations
Movie Night and Discussion Volunteers - A Place at the Table
- Monday (Sept 22nd), 6:30-9pm
- work in a team of 2-3 volunteers
- followed by discussion on industry and the epidemic of obesity
- help set up, screen, and take down the movie night
- help facilitate the discussion by taking notes on chart paper
We encourage attendance of all students at "A Place at the Table", as it would be a good introduction to some of the concepts and concerns we are trying to address in our work here.
Let us know if you have any questions or want more information about the individual events. We're looking forward to working with you!