Vancouver Native Health Society Garden Project

Garden Project Development History: Desire for Food Security, Protection of Farmland and Pursuit of Knowledge
In 2005 the Urban Aboriginal Intergenerational Community Kitchen/Garden Project was born from the pressures occurring in and around the Vancouver community, and a growing consciousness that Vancouverites were dependent upon foods grown (often thousands of) miles away, with increasing costs for fresh, healthy foods. In the case of disaster (e.g. economic, transportation, weather, earthquake) this equates into food insecurity. With some of the lowest employment levels, worst socio-economic conditions, highest levels of disease, and a legacy of intergenerational residential school effects, First Nations, Inuit and Métis people living in the downtown eastside of Vancouver are often the most food insecure. VNHS Garden Project produces up to 1000Lbs. of fresh, organic produce each year. All of the produce goes to volunteers and to the people in east Vancouver. The Garden Project has now evolved into a place where urban Aboriginal people can have access to traditional foods, such as smoked salmon, oolichan grease, deer & moose meat, berries and also medicines such as sage, bear root and ceremonial tobacco.