Community Food Centre leaders visit each other to swap knowledge: Highlights from across Canada

From Toronto, Ontario to Thunder Bay, Ontario: Marishka’s visit

Harmony CFC’s Kitchen Facilitator, Marishka Pope, spent two days at Roots CFC and was struck by both the similarities and the new possibilities she saw.

What stood out:

Roots’ focus on serving specific populations—youth, seniors—gave Marishka a deeper appreciation for how tailored programming helps build impact. Their volunteer system, front-of-house team, and kitchen equipment (like a soup kettle!) made operations safer, smoother, and more consistent. Each of their market sites adapted to the needs of different neighbourhoods, offering the same dignity-driven experience with thoughtful local variation.

What inspired Marishka:

Marishka was inspired by Roots’ dynamic team and hands-on leadership. Social enterprise ideas—like cut flowers at their markets—sparked Marishka’s imagination for what might be possible at Harmony.

What she’s bringing home:

Marishka is eager to strengthen volunteer involvement and to set clearer goals around which communities Harmony can serve well. She also explored small-scale social enterprise ideas for their Good Food Market, and she’s curious to learn more about volunteer management.

From Montreal, Quebec to Thunder Bay, Ontario: Michelle’s visit

Michelle Fiacconi, Carrefour Community Food Centre’s Youth Program Coordinator spent three days immersed in Roots’ farm, market, and teaching spaces, and came home full of possibilities.

Program insights:

Roots’ school-based cooking programs varied in structure, pace, and focus, ranging from group cooking moments with Indigenous adult learners to flexible, open-ended food skills sessions with high school students.

Favourite discoveries:

Michelle loved Roots’ smoothie bike and outdoor pizza oven. She also deeply appreciated Roots’ brilliantly organized kitchen, with everything colour-coded and easy to find. She was intrigued by freeze-drying food as a preservation method, which could expand Carrefour’s food skills offerings.

From Winnipeg, Manitoba to Turnor Lake & Birch Narrows, Saskatchewan: Andre’s visit

For Chef Andre Mejia from NorWest Co-op Community Food Centre, spending time on the land fishing, travelling by boat, and cooking beside children and Elders at Turnor Lake & Birch Narrows Community Food Centre was grounding and transformative.

What Chef Andre learned:

Chef Andre reported learning that working closely with land and community requires patience, presence, and deep respect. That knowledge is passed through shared experiences and laughter, not just instruction. And intergenerational exchange is central to the experience.

What he’ll apply in his work:

Chef Andre plans to share the lesson that food and land-based practices are not only about survival or skills, but about strengthening relationships. These experiences remind us that leadership can be gentle, rooted in care and in community building.

From Dartmouth, Nova Scotia to Montreal, Quebec: Chris’s visit

Chef Chris Lampier from The North Grove Community Food Centre spent several days with The Depot and Carrefour Community Food Centre teams in Montreal, observing everything from kitchen flow to volunteer coordination to participant experience.

What impressed him most:

Chef Chris was impressed by the Depot’s deep sense of community, welcoming dining room, well-organized market, and dedicated kitchen team—Chef Seb and Sous Chef Patrick—who balance mentorship, creativity, and high-quality cooking while serving hundreds of meals at a time.

Chris also noticed the impact of having separate front-of-house and back-of-house leadership, a structure that supports smooth service and frees chefs to focus on food and volunteers.

At Carrefour, he saw the power of dignity-driven service: a bright, cozy space; beautiful, high-quality meals; sliding-scale pricing; and a philosophy that everyone in the neighbourhood deserves excellent food.

What he’s bringing home:

Ideas for strengthening volunteer management, events coordination, and enhancing the dining experience. He left inspired by the professionalism, warmth, and joy at both CFCs.

From Guelph, Ontario to Perth, Ontario: Brady’s visit

For Support Worker Brady from Hope House Guelph Community Food Centre, four days at The Table Community Food Centre were energizing and eye-opening.

What he learned:

From operations meetings and advocacy sessions to community meal service, Brady gained insights across the whole organization.

A visit to Parkdale Food Centre added even more learning, especially around their Advocacy in Motion (AIM) program and how strong relationships fuel successful advocacy work

What inspired him:

Brady was inspired by the dedication, joy, and genuine care he saw in every corner of The Table Community Food Centre. He saw the way a warm meal brings the community together, and how the daily interactions between staff, volunteers, and participants fill the space with connection.

What he’ll bring back to Hope House Community Food Centre:

Brady is bringing back fresh ideas for Hope House Guelph’s own programs and advocacy groups, and a renewed energy for the work. The trip, as he said, helped “refill his cup.”

A network that learns together

Across all these visits, a few themes shine through:

• The power of warm, skilled teams
• The importance of systems that make good work easier
• The joy of learning from one another
• The belief that good, nourishing, culturally appropriate food is for everyone
• The strength that comes from sharing ideas, stories, and care

These learning exchanges deepen relationships across the network, and strengthen every Community Food Centre’s ability to lead, nurture, and grow.