Rooted in Community: How Kitsilano Neighbourhood House is Growing Food Security
Kitsilano Neighbourhood House builds food security through CSA support, growers markets, urban harvesting, and hands-on community action.
WBN News Kitsilano
✍️ By Karalee Greer | WBN News – Kitsilano | May 12, 2025
About Kitsilano Neighbourhood House
Kitsilano Neighbourhood House (KNH) is a longstanding community hub located in Vancouver’s Westside, dedicated to fostering connection, inclusion, and local resilience. As part of the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of British Columbia (ANHBC), KNH offers a wide range of programs and services for people of all ages—from seniors’ support and childcare to community kitchens, volunteering, and advocacy. Rooted in values of equity and accessibility, KNH serves as both a gathering space and an action centre, helping residents build meaningful relationships while addressing key social issues like food insecurity, isolation, and environmental sustainability.
🌿 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
While KNH does not operate its own CSA program, it actively supports local CSA initiatives by providing pickup locations and promoting partnerships with urban farms. For instance, organizations like Sole Food Street Farms offer accessible CSA programs featuring seasonal produce grown in the city . KNH's collaboration with such programs ensures that community members have convenient access to fresh, local produce, reinforcing sustainable food systems.eatlocal.org
🥕 Kitsilano Growers Market
The Kitsilano Growers Market, initiated with support from the City of Vancouver’s Greenest City Grant, invites local urban farmers, backyard, and community gardeners to sell, trade, or donate their produce. This initiative emphasizes food recovery and sustainability by collecting surplus food from various sources and redirecting it to local social service agencies, ensuring that nutritious food reaches those in need. The market operates seasonally, providing a platform for community engagement and access to fresh produce.
🍎 Urban Harvesting and Food Recovery
KNH collaborates with organizations like the Vancouver Fruit Tree Project to harvest surplus fruit from residential yards. This urban harvesting initiative reduces food waste and redistributes fresh produce to community members in need. Volunteers play a crucial role in identifying fruit trees, coordinating harvests, and delivering the collected fruit to local food programs .Vancouver Fruit Tree Project
👥 Community Engagement
Volunteers are integral to KNH's food security programs. They assist in organizing markets, harvesting fruit, and educating the community about sustainable practices. KNH provides various opportunities for residents to get involved, fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility towards food sustainability.
Through these initiatives, Kitsilano Neighbourhood House exemplifies how community-driven approaches can create sustainable food systems that are inclusive, environmentally conscious, and resilient.
For more information or to get involved, visit kitshouse.org.
Tags: #WBN News Kitsilano #Karalee Greer #Kitsilano #Food Security #Urban Farming #Kitsilano Community #Local Food Matters
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