SickKids to Offer More Ontario Food at Hospital

-Greenbelt Fund Grants to Infuse $14.4 Million into the Ontario Economy-

TORONTO, Oct. 18, 2012 /CNW/ - The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) takes great pride in fostering the care and health of children. Providing healthy, nourishing food is vital to good health and the healing process. The Greenbelt Fund is funding a project to assist SickKids in bringing more Ontario food to the plates of patients and their families, staff and visitors.

With support from the Ontario government, the Greenbelt Fund is providing grants to organizations to bring more Ontario food into schools, universities, colleges, hospitals and long-term care homes. To date, the Greenbelt Fund has supported 38 projects that have resulted in an increase of nearly $12 million in Ontario food purchases. This fourth round of grants is projected to increase Ontario food purchases by an additional $14.4 million.

The grant to SickKids is just one of 17 projects that will increase access and availability of Ontario food in public institutions. At SickKids, chef Joshna Maharaj will work with hospital Nutrition Services staff in developing new menu items that include more Ontario food. These new items will be served to patients, and families and staff at SickKids Terrace Café.

The Greenbelt Fund is assisting farm operations and food distributors to work together in bringing more Ontario food into the food value chain. Projects within health care institutions, universities, and food service companies are resulting in more Ontario food on menus; growing patient and resident satisfaction.

"It's great to see more fresh, healthy, and delicious Ontario foods making their way into our public institutions. When we buy local everyone wins. It's good for our families, good for our farmers, good for our economy, and good for our environment."
- Ted McMeekin, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

"I am very happy to see Ontario hospitals, like SickKids, providing healthy and fresh Ontario foods to patients, families and staff. It's a great way to promote a healthy, balanced diet through products that come from our backyard."
- Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

"The Greenbelt Fund has been a tremendous economic success in bringing more Ontario food to public institutions and increasing the amount of Ontario Food purchased. The grant to The Hospital for Sick Children is an example of how a ripple effect of change is happening throughout the food system in Ontario. It takes Ontario agriculture from fresh in the field to fresh on the plate."
- Burkhard Mausberg, CEO, Greenbelt Fund

"Providing fresh, quality food is one of the key ingredients to supporting SickKids' family-centred care culture, as food can nourish our patients and their families in many ways. The Greenbelt Fund grant will not only help us increase our capacity to provide fresh locally sourced food to the SickKids community, it will also allow us to support the local economy."
- Mary Jo Haddad, President and CEO, SickKids.

About the Greenbelt Fund:
The Greenbelt Fund is a sister organization of the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. With funding from the Ontario Government, the Fund is helping to increase the amount of Ontario food served in daycares, schools, universities and colleges, hospitals and long-term care facilities.

This program provides grants to local food industry leaders, producers, distributors, food service providers and public institutions working to serve more Ontario food. Helping to overcome challenges, support economic growth and the sustainability of agriculture in Ontario, the Fund's goal is to help create systemic change to permanently increase the amount of local food in the province's public institutions.  For more information about the program and grants, please visit Ontariofresh.ca.

SOURCE: Greenbelt Fund

For more information or to book an interview, please contact:
Julienne Spence
Office: 416-960-0001 ext. 311
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