Mobile kitchen brings food literacy to the community
- communications
- Sep 30
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 30
In June, our Food Literacy Coordinator, Jeanne James-Hory, developed and coordinated five free workshops and created a new mobile kitchen. The mobile kitchen, funded by the A'ek̓aḵilax̱a̱n's Gukwalut - Nourish North (formerly Mount Waddington Community Food Hub) is a collection of cooking tools and equipment that makes it easy to bring food workshops anywhere.
Food literacy learning with partners and volunteers
Working with the Sacred Wolf Friendship Centre, Hardy Bay Senior Centre, St. Columba’s Anglican Church, and A'ek̓aḵilax̱a̱n's Gukwalut - Nourish North, the workshops welcomed 28 participants.
Volunteers led the workshops, and together they learned how to:
Grow microgreens
Plan menus and shop on a budget, plus helpufl apps and tools
Budget for the household
Make empanadas
Create four different meals from one chicken
Everyone went home with recipe kits, workbooks, food packages, prepared meals, and trays of growing microgreens!
Thank you to our wonderful volunteers: Taylor Hartwig, Janelle Burns, Rikki Rae Clarke-Ruiz, Stephanie Coe, as well as Abishek Kumar and Bridgitte Avoine who dropped in to join the workshop and cleanup crew. Thanks also to St. Columba’s Anglican Church and Hardy Bay Seniors’ Centre for their support.
“Participants left with new skills, restored confidence, and full hands,” said Jeanne. “Many asked when the next workshop would be.”
Workshop participants said:
“I’m going to start doing this at home now.”
“These tools are such high quality—I love that we each have our own cooktops and workstations. Great setup!”
“Very good, educational, and fun.”
“I’m going to share my warm empanadas with the guys at the shelter.”
“This was an awesome workshop—very refreshing and informative!”
“These food workshops help build other literacy skills, like reading, numeracy, and life skills like communication, collaboration and problem solving,” said Jeanne.
“Food is such a natural connector — bringing people together, exchanging knowledge, and creating space to share about our other literacy programs. It’s a great way to meet new learners and volunteers."
Watch for more free workshops coming to North Island communities this Fall!
About Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society
The Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society supports literacy and learning on North Vancouver Island through free programs for people of all ages, in partnership with local communities, schools, and organizations.
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