megram - Index

megram - Guide To Spring Fun In Ottawa's West End - Index

The Community Food Advisor Program
Using trained volunteers, the
Community Food Advisor (CFA) program,
which was developed in 1991
by the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
and is co-funded by the Ontario
Ministry of Health, provides reliable
information and education that promotes
safe and nutritious food selection,
preparation, and storage practices
to consumers in Ontario.
Through this volunteer peer education
program, people in communities
who have a love of food and some
knowledge and skills in food handling
are provided with technical and
leadership training. Upon successful
completion of their training, the volunteer
peer educators become certified
Community Food Advisors
(CFAs). They then work in their community
to improve and promote safe
and healthy food selection, preparation,
and storage practices. They are
recertified annually based on completion
of community placements and
education updates.
The premise behind this volunteer
approach is that volunteer peer
educators understand their community
and often know what will and
will not be effective. Research and
past experiences show that individuals
in communities are often more
open to receiving information from
their peers. CFAs complement existing
nutrition and food safety professionals
and programs in the community.
The CFA program was modelled
on other volunteer peer education
programs, such as the Ontario Master
Gardener Program, which trains volunteers
to provide gardening advice to
other members of their community.
The CFA program is also based on the
Master Canner, Master Food
Preserver, and Master Food Advisor
programs, which are found throughout
the U.S., as well as other peer education
programs in the health and
social services sectors in Canada.
The CFA program was first piloted
in 1992 in three areas in Ontario:
Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox and
Addington; Middlesex-London; and
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph. Since
1992, 23 communities have participated
and more than 1,000 volunteers
have been trained. In 2005 alone,
more than 300 CFAs in 17 areas of
Ontario had completed more than
870 health promotion activities,
reached more than 40,000 people, and
contributed approximately 13,500
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hours of volunteer work.
Currently, 17 programs are operating
in Barrie, Brant County,
Durham Region, Elgin-St. Thomas,
Hamilton, Huron-Perth, City of
Kawartha Lakes, Kingston, Frontenac,
and Lennox and Addington,
Middlesex-London, Niagara Region,
Ottawa, Peel, Renfrew County,
Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Timiskaming
and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph.
Joyce Owen B.A. Econ., CFP, CLU, FDS
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Ottawa Page 31 Due West/Due East Magazine • Spring 2008