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MIAG’s Involvements in Ethnic Healthy Food ActivitiesMIAG’s Involvements in Ethnic Healthy Food Activities

Healthy Life Style Programs

• Outreach to the Diverse Community Programs established in 2001

• Peel Women in Action Project started in 2003

• Two more youth and children programs launched in 2005 (Heart Health & Multicultural Youth and Peel Children in Action)

• The three projects are sponsored by Healthy Living Peel (former PHHN).

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MIAG’s Healthy Life Style ProgramsMIAG’s Healthy Life Style Programs

Programs components:- Active living sessions that are modified to meet

specific needs and common interest in each targeted community as below: Sisters Swimming for Muslim Women and Children, Dance for Your Health for the Hispanic Community, and Exercise on African Music for the African and Caribbean communities.

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The second component:The second component:

- Health Education sessions: To build awareness of the high risk factors for heart health and other chronic disease such as unhealthy food, high blood pressure and cholesterol, smoking…etc.We introduced Canada's Food Guide, apply it on the diverse community through exercises.

We encouraged them to change unhealthy ingredients in their culturally dishes to healthy ones through cooking demonstrations.

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MIAG Monthly Networking MeetingsMIAG Monthly Networking Meetings

Inviting service providers from the settlement, social, and health sectors; discussing different issues related to the diverse community in Peel.

January 2007 workshop’s theme: “IF WE CONTINUE USING NATURAL RESOURCES THE WAY WE DO WHAT WILL WE LEAVE TO THE NEW GENERATIONS?”

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MIAG Monthly Networking MeetingsMIAG Monthly Networking Meetings

During March 2007 workshop we focused on Food Security and Ethno-cultural communities. Anan Lololi (E.D.)/ The Afri-Can FoodBasket introduced his project:: It is a community based, non-profit, co-operative, community development movement that is committed to meeting the nutrition, health and employment needs of members of the African Canadian community, in particular those who are economically and socially vulnerable. Through community food security, leadership development and collaborative partnership,

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Collaboration with EcosourceCollaboration with Ecosource

Ecosource and MIAG developed a partnership and submitted a four year proposal (2007 – 2011) to OTF to expand school gardens and create community gardens.

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Farm Trip with Ecosource and FarmStartFarm Trip with Ecosource and FarmStart

On Saturday, August 25, 2007 MIAG and Ecosource organized a field trip to different farms in Caledon.

Thirty five people from different ethno-cultural backgrounds and age groups participated. The trip exposed the participants to the crops that are grown in Canada and gave the opportunity to meet with farmers. The people experienced the joy of picking fresh vegetables and fruits.

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Focus Groups with FarmStartFocus Groups with FarmStart

On October 24th MIAG in collaboration with FarmStart conducted a community focus group. The objective was to identify crops that are in demand and could be grown in Canada by existing and new farmers.

Participants stated that they buy 60% of their food from ethno-cultural stores.

People from ethno-cultural backgrounds love to buy their own culture vegetables, herbs, and fruits despite the high prices

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The Second Focus GroupThe Second Focus Group Community Leaders will be invited to asses ways in

which new Canadians can be helped to start farm enterprises. Farm Start aims to help new farmers through incubator farm facilities (where people can rent land, equipment etc at reduced rates), linking people with available farm land or pieces of land in urban areas, providing mentorship, business development and technical/ production support, marketing support, access to markets etc...

This Focus Group will take place on December 13th, 2007 at MIAG.

Thank you !