Nanaimo Foodshare’s new education and food preparation area at Cline farm is well stocked, thanks to a $10,000 donation by the Rotary Club of Nanaimo.
The money helped to fund ‘an event tent, a food-safe outdoor floor, stainless steel prep tables and work areas, outdoor cooking burners, wash sinks and more.’ The new space promised to enable people to ‘harvest food and cook it right at the farm while enjoying views of the fields in which it was grown; a truly farm to fork experience.’
“The support from Rotary is a game changer for Foodshare. With the new facility from this funding,” said Lisa Guizzo, Finance Manager for the Nanaimo Foodshare Society, “we will have people live the experience of farm to fork. There is no better way to build community than growing and sharing food, and this facility is making that happen.”
The funds came from the club’s ‘bi-annual book sale and from a $3,500 USD grant from Rotary District 5020 through their matching grant program.’
“Rotary’s District Grants give us the opportunity to partner with local organizations to make a greater impact in our community,” stated Debbie Narver, member of the Community Partnerships Committee for The Rotary Club. “We recognized the tremendous value that Nanaimo Foodshare provides in Nanaimo and wanted to help them with this initiative.”
This is the club’s second donation to the program, with $25,000 donated in 2020 going towards two walk-in coolers, also located on the farm.
