Kelowna Daily Courier

Food literacy growing in Kelowna

Special to The Daily Courier

During Raise-a-Reader week, Project Literacy is celebrating the success of its Food Literacy Program. In partnership with KCR Community Resources, the food literacy program provides information and fresh vegetables to immigrant and low-income families.

From how to cook mustard greens, bush beans and Bell peppers, to sauces you can make with fresh basil and tomatoes, the Food Literacy Program provides information to accompany the fresh vegetables so immigrant families can use local vegetables to complement their traditional diets.

Paul Zuurbier, executive director with Project Literacy Central Okanagan Society, tutors Hisham, a man from Syria. Hisham and his family had never tasted Pac Choy before. Pac Choy is great a addition to a stir fry and can be cooked along with zucchini, Swiss chard, and New Zealand spinach, all vegetables grown in the Community Care Garden.

Food security continues to be a concern for Canadian families. Last spring, Proof: Food Insecurity Policy Research released a report drawing on data for 103,500 households from Statistics Canada’s 201718 Canadian Community Health Survey. They found that one in eight households were food insecure. This represents 4.4 million people, the largest number recorded since Canada began monitoring food insecurity.

Through the Food Literacy Program, Project Literacy and KCR Community Services are helping local immigrant families learn how to recognize, cook and even grown vegetables, which add low-cost nutrition to the family diet.

The Community Care Garden consists of 14 garden boxes located outside the Project Literacy and KCR offices along the corner of Bertram Street and Leon Avenue. It operates from May to September. The Community Care Garden is sponsored by Fortis BC.

September is Raise-a-Reader month. All funds donated during this month are topped up by the provincial government.

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2021-09-24T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-24T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://kelownadailycourier.pressreader.com/article/281612423548030

Alberta Newspaper Group