Meals on Wheels, food hub receive funding
A pair of Cape Breton projects have received funding to increase access to local and healthy food.
The Meals on Wheels program in Sydney received $11,727 from the Chronic Disease Innovation Fund for its Cape Breton Community Food Hive project.
The Pan-Cape Breton Food Hub will receive $9,454 from its Farm Fresh Food 4 Fall program.
“A healthy diet, combined with physical activity, can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases,” Sydney-Whitney Pier
MLA Derek Mombourquette said in a news release on behalf of Health and Wellness Minister Leo Glavine. “These programs will help Cape Bretoners improve their health.”
The Chronic Disease Innovation Fund supports projects that can help improve the health of Nova Scotians living with chronic disease or who are at risk of developing one.
“It’s important that we increase access to healthy eating information for people who need it most,” said Claire Turpin of New Dawn Meals on Wheels. “This grant will help lay the foundation for more programs that encourage a balanced lifestyle.”
The PanCape Breton
Food Hub has partnered with the Glace Bay
Food Bank, Community
Cares Youth Outreach and Ecology Action Centre for its Farm Fresh Food 4 Fall program.
“There is a lot of great work happening across our region to support healthy eating and physical activity and we’re thrilled to be part of that,” said Alicia Lake, coordinator, Pan-Cape Breton Food Hub. “This funding will allow us to provide low-income families with fresh, healthy food at very low cost each week this fall and offer workshops to increase their food skills.”
The Chronic Disease Innovation Fund will spend about $300,000 in 18 projects across the province. Community groups, in partnership with community health boards, applied for funding for projects that will help people live healthier.