B.C. earmarks $350K to boost food security in Greater Victoria

Volunteers work to create Christmas hampers for those in need at the Mustard Seed food bank in Victoria, Thurs., Dec. 15, 2016. (CTV Vancouver Island)

The B.C. government is sending a $350,000 grant to the Victoria Community Food Hub Society to help prepare food and equipment for the community.

The funding will be used for several purposes, including the purchasing of food-processing equipment and coordinating local food producers and grocery stores with the food hub's kitchen services.

Food from local farmers and grocery stores can be processed with the new equipment purchased for the food hub's kitchens, which turns the items into food that has a longer shelf life.

The food hub's training kitchen will also host people in need, who will help process, handle and prepare the food. Culinary skills learned at the kitchen will support people in their personal lives and can help with employability, according to the province.

"Not only are we working to increase access to healthy local food, but we are also investing in people," said Linda Geggie, executive director of the Victoria Community Food Hub.

"This funding is vital in supporting access to good food and having infrastructure in place to create livelihoods in a sustainable and expanding area of the economy," she said.

The Victoria Community Food Hub Society helps process food for 70 food charity organizations and three school district meal programs.