Just as our shelters and counselling services are the first step away from violence, our food programs are the first step away from poverty for so many of the women we serve.
Our anti-poverty work begins when our Nutritional Well-Being worker at Crossroads teaches a woman to cook wholesome ingredients to help keep costs low and improve her families’ overall health.
And it continues as women create new lives within the community, long after they’ve left our shelters, through our two food services: Nourish Project and JustFood
Nourish Project
This donor funded initiative creates innovative programs dedicated to eating, cooking, growing, and advocating for good food that cultivates health, builds community, and promotes fairness. The program provides access to healthy food, food literacy programming and peer advocacy training.
Learn more at nourishproject.ca
JustFood
Designed to provide affordable, fresh and healthy food, our JustFood program is supported by our dedicated partners and donors and allows families to purchase food on a sliding scale or “pay what you can afford” model.
What is the JustFood Program?
The JustFood program provides affordable access to healthy food.
There are two different types and sizes of JustFood boxes:
- Staples Box – Food that will keep either in the pantry or the fridge – foods such as bread, rice, pasta, canned soups and fresh fruits and vegetables. (2nd week of the month)
- Fresh Produce Box – A delicious selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. (2nd and 4th weeks of the month)
Where does the food come from?
We purchase from local stores, wholesalers, and from local farmers as much as possible. We currently have 9 different local farmers on board who supply fresh produce as the seasons’ harvests allows: Cedar Grove Farm, Deer Bay Farms, Kennedy Farms, Pinehaven Farm, Martin’s Fruit and Vegetable Farm, Jay Perkins Urban Agriculture, Circle Organics, Greenshire Eco Farms, and Well Grounded Garden.
Who Can be involved?
Anyone who is interested in enjoying affordable, healthy food, meeting new people, supporting local farmers in season, and trying out new veggies, fruit and staples.
How much does a JustFood Box cost?
Staples Box:
Small: Pay between $7 and $13
Large: Pay between $9 and $17
Fresh Produce Box:
Small: Pay between $8 and $14
Large: Pay between $12 and $22
The sliding scale pricing helps to ensure that farmers are paid a fair price for their produce while making the boxes as affordable as possible for those who need them most. Purchasers are encouraged to pay as much as they can afford.
How Do I Order?
You can order and pay for your JustFood boxes in one of two possible ways:
- Join a JustFood group close to where you live by contacting the Food Action Worker at 705-743-3526
- Order separately by placing your order in person at our Administrative Office (located at 216 Simcoe Street, Peterborough, ON, next to the City bus terminal)
When do I pay?
Staples Box
You pay on or before the 1st Wednesday of the month.
Fresh Produce Box
You pay on or before the 1st and/or 3rd Wednesday of the month.
When are the boxes packed and picked up?
Staples Box
2nd Wednesday of the month
Fresh Produce Box
2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month