Northern Region
Regional Rise Up! Spotlight: North
Indigenous identities are as diverse as the landscape, and groups like the Ts’ymsyen, Dakelh, and Cree include many Nations and bands that continue to steward their traditional lands and waters.
Welcome to the Northern Region! Foods from the northern region range from seafood in Prince Rupert, to vegetables grown in Smithers, grain in Dawson Creek, and wild foods including meat and berries fill freezers in many of our communities.
Indigenous identities are as diverse as the landscape, and groups like the Ts’ymsyen, Dakelh, and Cree include many Nations and bands that continue to steward their traditional lands and waters.
The large distances between communities create transportation challenges, and households struggle with food insecurity at higher rates than southern BC.
Exciting initiatives to strengthen our food system focus on distribution, school gardening, food preparation and preservation, and access to healthy food through nutrition coupons.
A Bit About Me – Your Northern Regional Lead
Jo Van Winkle
I’ve had an interest in gardening and getting my hands dirty since I was a kid. From growing tomato seeds that had been in space in grade 4 to now growing my own yearly garlic supply, food has always been a love of mine!
I just completed my studies in Community/Population Health at UNBC and can’t wait to use everything I’ve learned! My focus in school started in medicine, but I very quickly realized that food systems and community health were where I thrived! As a Type 1 Diabetic, I love learning about how food affects the body and getting to see where it all starts is even better!
As a queer, trans masculine person, I have found no better community than the food community, and hope to help foster this sense of community among youth across the North!
I live on the unceded and ancestral territory of the Lheidli T’enneh in Prince George with my partner and two cats and am privileged to call this area home.
Meet Our Northern Region Host Organizations
EcoTrust
Prince Rupert
Ecotrust Canada is a registered charity that works in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities at the intersection of natural climate solutions, Indigenous housing and homelands, community fisheries, home energy justice, and food systems.
Guided by the mission of proving it’s possible to build an economy that provides for life, Ecotrust Canada helps their partners catalyze community-driven solutions that demonstrate how place-based economies can succeed.
Ecotrust Canada recently launched the North Coast Food Hub in Prince Rupert—a collaborative initiative that brings together schools, Indigenous partners, local government, and community members to co-create a resilient food system rooted in the values and priorities of the region.
They are currently seeking volunteers in Prince Rupert to support hands-on projects, including building and operating school and community greenhouses, developing a small school food forest, implementing seed-to-table programming, establishing a local food distribution network, and hosting a weekly market.
‘Ksan Society
Terrace
‘Ksan Society is a non-profit organization in Terrace that supports people impacted by gender violence, poverty, and other social inequities. Their work promotes healthy lifestyles that include balanced physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development.
‘Ksan Place is their Food Security Programming hub, home of Food Share, lunch programs, community meals, and a variety of workshops and programs related to food. The space includes a large garden and greenhouse, as well as a commercial standard kitchen and a large multi-purpose room.
Volunteers could help with growing and harvesting food, preparing meals, preserving produce, and engaging children in the process!
Storytellers
Hazelton
Storytellers’ is a place-based and community-driven organization that builds relationships between people, and people and the land.
Their approach is grounded in fostering empowering relationships, where they learn and work together as Gitxsan, Wet’suwet’en and non-Indigenous citizens, to contribute to community well-being in the Hazelton area.
Through a community space called The Learning Shop, they support learning experiences that engage people in literacy and food security activities such as the Wi’neexhl Gal’tsap community food share project, freeze-drying seasonal foods and prepared meals, operating a community pantry, and hosting events.
Volunteers with Storytellers’ could help with all of these food related projects throughout the year!
Other Organizations
Some of the other organizations we are excited and grateful to be partnering with include:
Ready to Get Involved?
Want to learn more about Rise Up!? Fill out our contact form below to connect with our Northern Regional Lead. The Regional leads can walk you through next steps and work closely with you to shape volunteer opportunities that align with your organizational goals and values.
