Hope Bloom receives 25k from feds to launch kitchen for at-risk youth, families

Hope Blooms Youth Social Entrepreneurial Ventures is receiving $25,000 from the federal government to create its “Global Kitchen for Social Change.”

The announcement, made Wednesday by Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, supports eight new cooking stations where community members in Halifax can come together to cook food, share meals, teach cooking classes and support food entrepreneurs.

READ MORE: Hope Blooms receives 1.2M to expand kitchen, community space in Halifax’s north end

In addition, the new space will have the capacity to welcome and include an additional 70 at-risk youth and 65 families, Bibeau said.

The project will also support the youth of Hope Blooms in their newly appointed roles as 2019 United Nations Ambassadors for teaching Sustainable Development Goals.

Hope Blooms engages youth to grow food in 4,000 square feet of organic food gardens year-round. Since 2008, “Hope Blooms has had a measurable impact on food security and social inclusion in Halifax,” the government said.

READ MORE: Halifax’s Hope Blooms looking to expand after reaching capacity

Hope Blooms is one of the first organizations to receive funding from the Government of Canada’s Local Food Infrastructure Fund.

According to the federal government, the Local Food Infrastructure Fund is part of the Food Policy for Canada, supporting the country in meeting its commitments under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, including to end hunger, promote good health, cut food waste, and encourage sustainable food systems.