Good Food Box Project Delivers 179 Boxes

FTLComm - Tisdale - Friday, March 1, 2002

This is the third month that this project has been in operation as the Tisdale and Area Community Action Co-operative Ltd. received and distributed its "Good Food" boxes yesterday. This project provides anyone wishing to participate with nutritious food in Tisdale, Star City, Melfort, Pleasantdale, Naicam, Nipawin, Kinistin and Yellow Quill. Five vans provide the distribution network and volunteer workers provide the labour to fill and deliver the boxes.

Making a household budget cover the necessities is a daunting task for most households but in families with very limited income it is almost impossible. This means that cuts have to be made and the tendency is to cut back on fruits and vegetables. The result is that low income people suffer disproportionately from diet related illness, they have lower resistance and over all are not only less healthy but have shorter lives as a result. The epidemic of type two diabetes is chronic

in this part of the province and though little is understood about its cause, the treatment for this condition is a healthy diet, including plenty of fruit and vegetables This project, with the assistance of the health Districts in the area, is buying from wholesalers these foods at a reduced price and these food boxes are packed and delivered

for $10, and $15 amounts. With this project only now in its early stages, yesterday's deliveries came to 179 boxes. We took these pictures as the packing process began just after lunch as the boxes came streaming out onto the floor of the Salvation Army building (the site of the Solid Rock Cafe Drop in centre). A typical box contained: potatoes, carrots, cabbage, cucumber, rutabaga, tomatoes, onions, apples, oranges, pears and plums. The recipients order and pay for the next month's box when the delivery takes place so that all of yesterday's boxes were prepaid and this of course makes it possible for the organisation to accurately order and pay for next month's shipment. The Tisdale and Area Community Action Co-operative Ltd. is working in conjunction with a coalition of similar groups headed by "Food For All Coalition" for this whole area of the province which is made up of a partnership between twenty-two organizations (government and private) in North East Saskatchewan. If you would like to know more about this project or would like to be a part and order a box, contact the coordinator Jacki Abraham or phone 873-2299