Submitted by Darcy Higgins on Tue, 08/09/2011 - 18:55
Food Forward's team benefits from some of the best folks in the City giving of their time to support our movement. For our First Anniversary, we'd like to share profiles of our key volunteers with their experiences and skills that may go on to support other work. These folks will go far, making a difference in good food work.
- Darcy Higgins, Executive Director
Vanessa Ling Yu
vanessalingyu@gmail.com
416-225-5391
Something you've enjoyed working on for Food Forward:
- Organizing and facilitating dialogue about race and food justice.
- Outreach and education at various events
Skills or experiences you have:
- Workshop development - growing food, cooking/preservation skills,
- Restaurant consultation - business planning, green kitchen/service programming and training, local and seasonal menu planning/ingredient sourcing
- Proposal and research development
- Stakeholder engagement and public/spoke speaking
- Strategic planning and organizational development
- Health Promotion consultation - program and evaluation development and - implementation
- Writing and Editing - grad/prof applications, funding proposals, academic/popular articles, professional reports, etc.
What could you offer in this sector?
- Research and Consultation for any of the above.
Linda Swanston
linda@pushfoodforward.com
lindaswanston@yahoo.ca
Something you've enjoyed working on for Food Forward:
Connecting people passionate about improving food in the health sector from farmers to front-line hospital staff has been incredibly enjoyable and inspiring. The innovative and creative approaches different institutions are adopting to create tastier, healthier meals for hospital patients that also support sustainable local food economies keeps me motivated to push for change. Blogging, event organizing, social mapping and research are all ingredients in the recipe!
Skills or experiences you have:
- Research
- Writing
- Editing
- Project Management
What could you offer in this sector?
I'd love to connect with anyone who needs research, writing, or event organizing support in their quest for environmental or social change. Also happy to lend a hand in any collective cooking endeavours!
Andrea Chan
andreakchan@gmail.com
416-312-0231
Something you've enjoyed working on for Food Forward:
Bringing together non-profits and for-profits with the foodie community at local establishments serving home-grown food. The Foodie Drinks event series meets so many needs: organizations and businesses get to share their excitement for the amazing work they do, those in attendance mix, mingle, and network, and the host location is supported in their attempt to bring more local and seasonal food (and drinks!) to the table.
Skills or experiences you have:
A hyper-organized approach to project management, a passion for volunteer and intern recruitment and coordination, and a loud voice when it comes to improving the food system!
What could you offer in this sector?
Nothing engages me more than making an organization run more smoothly and efficiently. That's why I joined the Young Urban Farmers CSA team. In the early years of this very young non-profit, I am helping to provide direction and structure, to keep administrative and farming staff on track, and to motivate everyone to collectively work towards the "big picture" goals. When I find groups doing important work within the food system, I do everything in my power to support them.
Michelle Gruda
michelle.gruda@gmail.com
647-284-1856
Something you've enjoyed working on for Food Forward:
The Pushing Forward: growing your career in the good food movement event - was pretty exciting to get so many people with such wonderful passion and motivation for bettering our food system into one room!
Skills or experiences you have:
Writing, marketing, research, content/resource development
What could you offer in this sector?
Happy to connect local food businesses with opportunities to get featured on ethicalDeal. Also happy to lend our support (promotion/fundraising) to all the amazing organizations working hard to change things in our food system.
Judith Van Veldhuysen
judithvanveldhuysen@gpo.ca
416-906-2130
Something you've enjoyed working on for Food Forward:
Researching and posting local foodie events through social media tools
Skills or experiences you have:
Traditional and online marketing of preventive healthcare
What could you offer in this sector?
I'm the Green Party of Ontario candidate for the riding of St. Paul's and also the Women's Issues critic for the GPO Shadow Cabinet. I'm interested in meeting new people in my community who also support the local food movement.