Food for Thought Lunch and Learn Series
In Spring 2025 we are hosting a series of ‘Lunch & Learns’ to learn from regional leaders in various sectors to animate the policy documents we are collaboratively developing. The latest version of these documents can be found on our networks page.
‘Lunch & Learns’ will cover topics of importance to all of our networks starting with how to support robust local food economies in all regions across Indigenous Territories/Ontario.
Check back on this page for more information on speakers and topics as they are announced. You can also watch Sustain social media (Facebook & Instagram), and sign up for the Sustain newsletter to stay in touch.
Our first lunch & learn:
Rooting for Local
How can your hospital, municipality or university/college purchase local food?
March 21, 12-1pm EST
Registration Link
Hear from those working with/in public institutions about the barriers and successes they experience and how purchasing local food can strengthen community resilience, support the economy, and create sustainable food systems.
March 21st Speakers:
Jacqueline Buonocore, Manager Nutrition & Food Services at Pioneer Ridge Long Term Care in Thunder Bay will share her successes and challenges with local food procurement and responsibilities she feels to re-invest in the community.
Amy Ford at Nourish leads a network of 35+ Canadian hospitals ushering in sustainable food in health care. She will talk about opportunities for more values-based procurement from hospitals.
Mark Kenny, Senior Manager, Procurement, Planning & Operations with Hospitality Services at The University of Guelph and a champion of local food procurement in the public sector space. He will share how to successfully procure local food from his experiences.
Facilitated by Christina Mann, Sustain Board Member and Facilitator of the Buy Local Food Network.
If there is anything you would like to contribute to our developing policy document on local food, please contact networks@sustainontario.com.
Second lunch & learn:
Growing Together
How can communities access public land to grow food?
March 28th
12-1pm EST
Registration Link
This session will focus on how communities can access public lands to grow, harvest, and share food, promoting food security and sustainable practices.
March 28th Speakers:
Kate Veinot is the Director of Operations & Neighbourhood Planning at Just Food. As a long time home food grower and former Community Gardening Network Coordinator they will speak about experiences in the Ottawa region with policies that create barriers and/or enable community growing on public land.
Orlando Martín López Gómez is the Community Food Growing Senior Manager at FoodShare overseeing food growing projects across Toronto in schoolyards, hydro corridors, and parks. He will share his perspective on how communities can access public land to grow food.
Doug Jones, Chair of the Waterloo Region Community Garden Network, will speak about the advantages to municipalities and others of making land available for community growing and urban agriculture.
This session will animate policy recommendations our Community Food Production Network is collaboratively developing. The latest version of the document can be found here: Community Food Production. If you would like to contribute to this document or have any questions please contact networks@sustainontario.com.