Local Food Club FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about our program. If you don’t find the answer to your question here, please get in touch: food@headwaterscommunities.org
Order deadlines are typically two weeks prior to delivery. Delivery dates are the last Tuesday of the month. Exceptions apply for holidays or PD/PA days. Go to the order page.
What are the changes to Local Food Club this year with COVID-19?
LFC will be available every other month this year. There will be a October, December, February, April, June and August pack.
Our packing location has changed as we are not able to currently enter schools. Given this, we have also opted to a pick-up system. We have pick-ups available in Orangeville, and with the help of Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Resilient Communities Fund, we are able to pilot FREE delivery to homes in Dufferin and Caledon.
What does a Local Food Club pack cost?
In 2018-2019 we experimented with sliding scale pricing as we transitioned from grant funding to building program sustainability. This trial period was successful and we will continue to offer sliding scale pricing to remain accessible to more families.
The standard price per pack is $25. If you can pay $25, please do. If you cannot, you can select a price that works for you (suggested minimum is $20). If you can pay a bit more than $25, your donation will support the lower scale memberships and program coordination.
Is there a fundraising incentive for schools?
Yes. Your child’s school can choose to receive either 10% of school sales returned as a fundraising credit or a free gift pack with each delivery. The more you sell, the more the school gets back!
What is this Local Food Club?
HFFA’s Local Food Club (LFC) is a program offered to schools in the Headwaters region (Dufferin County and Caledon), where staff and parents can purchase memberships to receive a local, seasonal, meal-in-a-bag. HFFA coordinates with designated School Champions at each school. Packs are delivered to the school and distributed to classrooms for students to take home on the bus. The program runs during the school year. Members have the option of paying for all packs up front, or opting-in pack-by-pack.
This program provides one healthy family meal that you don’t have to think about, for less money than a fast food meal for four, plus the bonus of having it brought home by your child, which gives them pride and a fun role in family meal preparation. There’s even a little something in it for the school – a portion of proceeds is donated back to the school.
Why are you doing it?
Our goals are:
- to create connections between families and the food growers, value-add processors and retailers in their neighbourhoods
- to make healthy local foods more accessible to busy families in Headwaters
- to grow food literacy in our communities
- to promote awareness about our local food system
We are a registered charity, and do not aim to make a profit with this program, only to provide a simple way to get more healthy local foods on more tables throughout Headwaters.
Where did the idea come from?
We considered various models like CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) shares, Good Food Box programs and school fundraisers that already exist, and built on those to create something new that reflects our mandate and goals, and that works through schools, as they are hubs of every community. The opportunity for a Local Food Fund grant from the Government of Ontario arose in the fall of 2013, which is when the finer details were worked out for the grant application. That grant saw our pilot phase launch in October 2014. We have been able to continue the Local Food Club, along with our Education Workshops and Family Food Class programs, thanks to funding from Ontario Trillium Foundation funding from 2016 to 2018.
What is the idea?
Our concept is to provide the components of a “meal-in-a-bag”, including:
- featured seasonal recipes,
- nutritional information about the ingredients and the meal
- information about each producer contributing to that season’s pack
- tips for food handling and cooking with kids
- local ingredients (organic where possible) from a variety of farms and local food producers
How much food do you get in the bag?
The Local Food Club pack provides enough food to make a meal for a family of four, often with some extras. For example, one October our seasonal recipe was “Potato and Leek” soup, so in the bag members received; 2 lbs local organic potatoes, 1 bunch of leeks, 1 lb organic carrots, 2 onions, 1 head of garlic, a bag of local organic micro-greens, and a loaf of locally made sourdough bread.
One March our seasonal recipe was “Maple Sap infused Baked Beans”. In that bag members received a 1 lb bag of local mixed dried beans, 500 ml of organic maple sap, a can of local organic tomato paste, onions, garlic, salad greens, and cornbread biscuits.
Each bag contains nearly all the components required to make the seasonal recipe. We are unable to include meat, milk, eggs or cheese for food safety reasons. We do typically include greens of some sort and a grain (e.g. bread, buns, pizza crust). If an ingredient is required that we can’t supply in the bag, we send an email out the week prior to delivery day telling members what they will need to complete the recipe (e.g. you will need 2 cups of shredded sharp cheese).
We also try to provide some kind of “novel” local food in the bag – a food that perhaps members haven’t tried before. Members thought it was pretty cool to receive maple sap, watermelon radishes and purple potatoes last year. One of our seasonal recipes focused around Jerusalem Artichokes, also known as Sunchokes, grown right here in Headwaters.
I can get more food for less money elsewhere – why does this cost more?
Many Good Food Box programs operate with grant funding that supports some or all of program administration and some food costs. We are working to build a model that is more economically sustainable, that relies minimally on outside funding to cover non-food costs. We still do fundraising and apply for grants, but we’d like to be able to continue and grow without those impermanent supports.
Also, the food we source is local and mostly grown organically and sustainably, on smaller-scale farms in our communities or within Ontario.
It is true that you could probably get more food for the money at some grocery chains, but we also feel there is value to the program beyond the food: for your family, school, community and for the environment. The program educates community members and children about the benefits of eating healthy local food, encouraging valuable quality family time spent exploring new foods and cooking together. It supports local Headwaters farmers directly by paying them wholesale prices (we do not ask for donations of food). It helps strengthen our local Headwaters economy by connecting consumers with their neighbourhood producers. We like to think of it as “social justice for your rural food dollars”. A lot of work goes into the newsletter that comes with the pack – recipe, information and resources – and although you can’t eat it, it definitely delivers valuable food for thought.
Do you source only organic foods? What about special food preferences or allergies?
We try to provide as much organic food as possible, but are unable to guarantee all organic all the time. We also take note of any food allergies in the family when you register. While we will try to avoid those foods, we cannot guarantee that the bag will be free of contamination. Please use your own judgement to decide whether the club is appropriate for your family.
Is the food donated by the farmers?
No. We believe farmers should be paid for their product and do not ask them to donate food. We do negotiate wholesale prices where possible, however, which they are happy to accommodate for the volume we purchase. Our goal is to keep the membership price even with market prices for the pack contents.
How is the program funded?
Aside from program revenue, which essentially covers the cost of food and some supplies, our pilot Farm to School programs – including the Local Food Club and the Education Workshops – were originally made possible through a Local Food Fund Grant from the Government of Ontario and matching funds from Headwaters Communities In Action (our parent charity), The Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington (our grant co-applicant) and other fundraising efforts, including a prize from TD Friends of the Environment. A Grow Grant was received from Ontario Trillium Foundation to continue and expand the programs, including the addition of Family Food Classes, from 2016 to 2018.
We continue to pursue funding through grants, events, sponsorships and donation opportunities in order to cover program costs and keep fees affordable, while developing a model that is more financially secure ongoing. We welcome any community members with ideas or expertise in this area who wish to help us fundraise.
What is the School Champion role?
Schools that wish to participate must have someone who is willing to be a School Champion for their Local Food Club (LFC). This person – who could be a staff member or parent volunteer – will act as the contact at the school and coordinate the “school-side” responsibilities. Below is a comprehensive list of the standard School Champion expectations:
| Ordering | Communicate the program: share information and promote your Local Food Club in your school newsletter, to parents and staff. |
| Send out the link to our online form 1 to 2 weeks prior to the order deadline. You will receive a schedule of key dates. | |
| Store any returned reusable packs and send by UDGSB board mail or courier to Primrose ES one week prior to the next packing day. | |
| Delivery | Coordinate communications for any members without email addresses, e.g. additional items for recipe, if required. |
| If possible, recruit volunteers to assist with packing at the centralized packing location (Princess Elizabeth Public School for 2019-2020) on delivery days. These volunteers can also transport packed bags to the school. | |
| Receive delivery of club packs on your school’s delivery date. | |
| Deliver bags to appropriate students taking the bus, or staff members who have ordered. | |
| Arrange a specific location in your school for members who are picking up and advise members prior to pick up day. | |
| Recruit additional volunteers as needed to make your school’s Local Food Club a success! | |
| Deliver feedback from members to the HFFA Program Coordinator. Share stories, observations and photos cleared for publishing. |
How can a new school get involved?
If you feel you have enough interest at your school, can secure a School Champion and some packing helpers, please email the HFFA Program Coordinator at food@headwaterscommunities.org to inquire about starting a Local Food Club. We will assess the program’s capacity to expand on a case-by-case basis.
How can I join the club at my school?
First, make sure that your school is participating. The program is available at a limited number of schools at this time. You can find the current list on our LFC Order Form.
For your first order, submit the order form and payment by the “order-by” date for that month. You can order in advance for all three packs of the school year, or go season-by-season. You’ll receive your reusable pack filled with the first delivery. After that, return your reusable bag and any re-order forms by the order-by date each delivery month. A School Champion coordinates with the HFFA Program Coordinator. The HFFA team chooses the recipes and decides what will go in the packs based on what’s in season and available from local suppliers, then we arrange for assembly and delivery of the packs during the last week of the month. The bags are big enough to carry lots of good food, but small enough for a JK/SK student to carry home on the bus…most of the time!
What comes in the LFC packs?
- Samples of seasonal foods, locally sourced from the Headwaters Region (Dufferin County and Caledon) or neighbouring regions within Ontario. Though not a requirement, so far most of our participating farms use organic growing practices.
- A nutritious recipe featuring each season’s selections
- Nutritional information, substitutions and suggested add-ins
- “What kids can do” tips for family cooking
- Tips on handling, storing and saving the food and reducing waste
- Profiles of the farmers and food producers
- A bright and sturdy reusable drawstring back-pack style bag
- A survey: we rely on your feedback to help us improve the program and keep it interesting for our members.
Do you have to pay for the whole year up front?
No. Certainly, the simplest way to join is to sign up for the year and pay in full in advance – only one order-by date to remember, no payment reminders and no interruptions in your seasonal delivery. However, if that’s not the right choice for you, order pack-by-pack. Go to the order page.
For program questions, please contact Program Coordinator:
CONTACT: f2s@hffa.ca