Food4Good is the food programming division of the Jasper Place Wellness Centre in West Edmonton. Food4Good is supported by community members and organizations who believe that food is a way to connect, learn, grow and share with each other. We believe food should be healthy, accessible, culturally-appropriate and just.
We define our philosophy as ‘food justice’ rather than ‘food charity.’ Food charity addresses immediate needs, often through emergency relief services (like food banks, soup kitchens, or hampers). While there is still an important place for these types of efforts, food charity often doesn’t examine root causes like inadequate income, systemic oppression, or interconnected issues of poverty. Food justice works to address the root causes of hunger and poverty, through a combination of skills-building, community empowerment, and policy change. Our food justice approach means that we set high standards, work to recognize the systemic issues that cause food insecurity, and provide people with tools that enable them to advocate for change in those systems. We aim to provide food programming in a manner that is empowering and dignified. Our work is done “with” our community rather than “for” our community. We see food as a way toward social inclusion and community wellness. We know food is not only necessary to improve individual physical health, but is a powerful tool to cultivate vibrant, thriving communities.
