CO-OP TABLES at Markets plus Food Bank support keeps happening (2019-2024)
After very encouraging initial 2019 and 2020 years, we are very happy that the Gulf Islands Food Co-op has continued through to 2024 operating CO-OP TABLES at Southern Gulf Islands Saturday Markets! Thanks so much for past Vancity EnviroFund and ongoing Capital Regional District (CRD) funding for this. This program assists the food producers of Pender, Galiano and Mayne by having paid Co-op Table Hosts sell locally created food at Saturday Markets, so that the growers can be back on the land making more.
This program has also included support for the Saturna Food Bag / Community Pantry program, purchasing locally produced food to share with island folk. Now in 2023 and 2024 this has been expanded into Mayne and Pender Grower-to-Food Bank projects, where the Co-op financially supports local producers to create food for the Food Banks to give away, and now also for a Winter Stock-Up Market so that other islanders can purchase it.
Even during covid times, Co-op Table Hosts continued showing up, to safely support local food selling and sharing with those in need. Then our 2022 season involved selling just under $38,000 of produce, and now we’ve continued through 2023 and 2024 seasons. Big thanks again to the Capital Regional District for grant funds to support local food producers and island folks in this way :-)
