We visited 2 alternative type of grocery stores in July:

• the newly opened Unboxed Market: which is a zero-waste grocery store
• Feed it Forward: which is a Pay What You Can grocery store

Volunteers from the co-op wanted to see what options there are once we open our own food store and what kind of models we can use ourselves. We love the concept of a grocery store where you have to bring your own containers and you get to top up what you need, thereby both reducing waste from purchase and even food waste at home! Likewise, the pay what you can grocery store offers an interesting pricing model which can be applied in neighbourhoods with a wide range of income level so that everyone can access healthy food.

It definitely helped us think about accessibility and sustainable in the food process — both important components in a full cycle food hub, and sparked conversations among those of us who went. We’re excited to see new alternative models of grocery store pop up in Toronto as people experiment with different possibilities of reducing our impact on the planet while keeping our communities healthy!

Here’s a short reflection from a volunteer who went on the trip:

My visit to Unboxed Market with the co-op was my first ever visit to a zero-waste grocery store. It was great to experience the store’s organization which allows everyone to weigh and mark their personal reusable containers before filling them with groceries of their choice. The variety of foods available and the dispensing mechanisms for each item were also worth noting for me. I’m excited to cook the bit of basmati rice I got there! 

Joining the co-op on this field trip also introduced me to the idea of PWYC grocery stores. Visiting Feed It Forward was quite special and I’m curious to learn more about them, how they relate to the greater food ecosystem, and their vision of the future.

See more photos here: https://www.facebook.com/sjtcoop/posts/2352441664848773

We had a community celebration on Saturday June 22, 2019 at the Wellesley Community Centre. We wanted to share the results of the feasibility study with the community and thank everyone who participated in the various consultation processes and events throughout the past year. We were happy to present our accomplishments to the community and get people excited for the next steps. There was time for people to socialize and have fun, listen to the presentation, eat food, and go through the reports and ways to get involved information packages.

There was an amazing meal provided by Suruthi’s and Parliament Shawarma which filled everyone’s tummy and everyone was able to bring home leftovers as well. Our musician, Rosita Stone, played emotionally and beautifully, bring people to tears in the audience. Then we had a fun time dancing and chatting with one another, bonding over food and festive spirits!

Thank you to everyone who came out as well as our volunteer. Also, welcome to new members and volunteers!

We’ll have lots of events coming up including our Community Thursdays Series from 6-8pm at the The New Common Every Thursday this summer, come check us out! Calendar is here: http://stjamestowncoop.org/events/

You can find photos of the event here.

Commitment: 35 hours per week, for 8 weeks
Salary: $14/hr
Start Date: May 27th, 2019

How to apply: send your resume to sjtcommunitycoop@gmail.com We will send you an application form which you will need to fill out and send back to us by May 10. We will then contact those we are interested in for an interview.

Job Description: Seeking an outgoing community activator for the OASIS Food Hub – a community-run initiative to increase healthy and affordable and climate-resilient food in the St. James Town neighbourhood. This is an innovative food security project in the early stages of development that will be the first of its kind in the world.

This summer, we will be focused on increasing community awareness and commitment to the project. You will be a part of a two-person team – supported by member-owners of the St. James Town Co-op – focused on:
• Networking and Presenting to Community Groups such as Resident Associations
• Outreach at Street Festivals
• Run a 3-hr space once a week: informational sessions, co-op orientations, educational and community gatherings

Requirements:
• Young Person 15-30 years old (federal grant requirements)
• Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Preference Given to St. James Town Residents

Our ideal candidate has the following skills:
• Inter-Personal Skills
• Public Speaking
• Coordination of people and events
• Working in a diverse community

Our ideal candidate also has Knowledge/Interest/Experience in one or more of the following:
• Food Security and Climate Change
• Urban Agriculture
• Co-operatives
• Community Development
• Facilitation
• Nature-Education
• Events Coordination
• Lobbying
• Alternative Economies such as Time Banking and Gift Economy

We had our second OASIS design gathering on Saturday, November 17th at the Cabbagetown Youth Centre. We started the day with lunch, and a fun ice-breaking word association activity to get our minds thinking about important issues and our bodies warmed up to work. We built on the discussions from the first design meeting by splitting into small groups to share our thoughts on four specific areas: bulk buying food buying, food growing, food processing and storage, and waste and repurposing. All of the groups completed a “Flourishing Cities Design Canvas”, where we focused on both the short and long-term necessities for food security and resiliency in the community.

There were great dialogues happening that allowed for connections to be made between residents, community partners, and farming representatives that helped us generate a more specific and robust plan for OASIS. At the end of the day, everyone reported back so that all of the attendants could share what they have accomplished, and learn from the expertise of the other focus groups. Each group came up with three “Action Steps” that can be implemented right away to make inroads into achieving our goals for OASIS. The enthusiasm in the room was electric, and everyone was able to come together to collectively resolve important community issues. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend, share, listen, and help make a difference!

You can find more pictures of the event here.

Stayed tune for our third design gathering happening in early January!

Written by: Dani T.

We had our first OASIS design gathering last Saturday, Oct 13 at the Wellesley Community Centre! Over 30 residents and participants came out to share their ideas and vision what they want OASIS to look like in stage 1 and specifically how they envision a community kitchen and a food storage unit. We had great conversations and a delicious lunch to keep us going; there was also a kids group where youth got a chance to ask pertinent questions for the project and present a solid vision of what they wanted to see. The kids’ presentation definitely had the adults in the room thinking and chuckling.

The energy in the room was amazing and every table was buzzing with conversation and chatter. This is what we want to encourage in the community: people gathering to talk about important issues and solutions and meeting other folks in the community.We can’t wait for the smaller laser groups, set up through this design gathering, to work on more detailed aspects of the projects and bring more focus and expertise to the table. Our next design gathering is happening on Nov. 10 and allies are invited to join residents at this stage. Keep in touch to hear about other events and progress on OASIS coming up!

Check out more photos from the gathering from our Facebook album here.