Highland Health Home and Learning Centre in New Glasgow is piloting a partnership focused on improving access to fresh, nutrient-dense food for patients and their families.
The 12-week initiative connects Nova Scotia Health staff with Summer Street, a local charity and social enterprise that operates a hydroponic greenhouse, where greens like spinach, kale, lettuce and more are grown year-round in a controlled environment using nutrient-rich water instead of soil.
Each week, 20 parcels of greens are delivered to a local food bank, picked up by clinic staff and brought back to the site, where they are stored and offered for free to families with dependent children under the age of 25.
The idea was initiated by Brittany Currie, a registered social worker at the clinic. In her previous role in Nova Scotia Health's Mental Health and Addictions program, she frequently saw the effect food insecurity had on children and youth.
"In Nova Scotia, households with dependent children experience some of the highest rates of food insecurity," said Currie. "When we looked at our own patient population, about 20 per cent are families with children. We wanted to explore whether we could reduce barriers to accessing fresh, healthy food."
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