Community Natural Foods Initiatives
At Community Natural Foods we are dedicated to encouraging living a healthier, more natural life and strive to support the well being of our localcommunity. Join us in supporting these groups inCalgaryand surrounding area.
Food Groups
The Calgary Interfaith Food Bank
The Calgary Interfaith Food Bank is a charitable organization dedicated to gathering and distribution of quality emergency food to those in need. The majority of their clients are the working poor struggling to make ends meet, occasionally unable to do so. TheirMissionis to provide quality emergency food to those in need.
Community Natural Foods has had a long term relationship with the Food bank and support this group through food collections at the stores and by joining the “Put the Boot to Hunger” campaign by collection donations at our Stampede Breakfast.
http://www.calgaryfoodbank.com/index.html
The Mustard Seed
The Mustard Seed is a Christian non-profit organization that has been caring for the needs of the less fortunate since 1984. Throught its ministry centres across Alberta, The Mustard Seed delivers basic services, housing and employment programs to those in need and partners with the community to address poverty.
Community Natural Foods has a long term relationship with The Mustard Seed. Our initiatives with this group included providing close to date product on a daily basis, creating and implementing our scan away homelessness program and most recently participated in the groundbreaking of their new building by providing lunch for 250 people.
People Groups
Arusha Centre
The Arusha Centre is a collectively run, member-supported organization that provides resources and programming on local and global social justice issues. Some of the programs run by the Arusha Centre include: Calgary Dollars, Take Action Grants and the Bow River Flow Festival.
Community Natural Foods supports the ArushaCenterthrough their Calgary Dollars Program. We sell our gift certificates at the monthly Calgary Dollars Potluck only for Calgary Dollars. These gift certificates can be then used at our stores. Most recently four CNF staff were route ambassadors for the Bow River Flow
Calgary Progressive Lifestyles Foundation
The aim of Calgary Progressive Lifestyles Foundation (CPLF) is to promote self-sufficiency and growth within adults who have a disability. This is achieved throughcommunity presence;community participation such as employment; skill enhancement; image enhancement; autonomy and empowerment.
Community Natural Foods has recently partnered with this organization by sponsoring the ingredient cost for their Cookie to Go Program. In addition we will be working together to develop new cookie labels and to develop a Community Natural Foods cookie for their Cookie to Go program line up.
Potential Place
Potential Place Society is a not-for-profit mental health agency dedicated to providing people incapacitated by chronic mental illness an opportunity to lead productive and rewarding lives in today’s society. The opportunity is provided through the Potential Place Clubhouse, a facility incorporating the principles and operating practices of a successful international program of mental health rehabilitation.
Community Natural Foods offers job experience opportunities for members ofPotential Placeon a regular basis in our repack warehouse department.
http://www.potentialplace.org/
Chrysalis
In 1968, Chrysalis began as a Centennial project under the direction of theUniversityofAlbertaand was created by parents andcommunitymembers who realized that adults with disabilities deserved equal opportunities to contribute to their communities. Chrysalis began as an agency especially planned for training adults with developmental disabilities to produce manufactured goods using automated machinery. Through Chrysalis, individuals were offered, for the first time ever, alternatives to staying in school or remaining inactive all day long in their residential settings. Today, Chrysalis offers personalized services to help thousands of people with disabilities receive training, develop life and vocational skills, find employment, discover volunteer opportunities, and realize an improved quality of life.
Community Natural Foods offers works experience within our stores for members of Chrysalis on an ongoing basis.
Youth Singers of Calgary
Recognizing a need within thecommunity, the Youth Singers of Calgary was created in 1985 by Shirley Penner who quickly enlisted two wonderful resources in Darlene Dusevic and Tricia Penner. Together they developed a unique performing arts organization; providing an opportunity for young people to express themselves onstage through music, dance and theatre. Their commitment to music, excellence in teaching and a strong team approach has sustained the organization to the present day.
More than twenty-five years later the Youth Singers continue to provide a unique performing arts opportunity for young people. The program spans ages 3½ to adult with a curriculum encompassing choral music, dance and musical theatre. As a performing arts company Youth Singers travels extensively, records, and appears at upwards of one hundred events each year, often accompanying top entertainers.
Community Natural Foods supports the Youth Singers through cash donations as well as providing food for the performers for two of their major performances each year.
Schools
Books for Schools Program
Nature Watch Partners offers a program under which benefactors buy copies of Wild Alberta at the Crossroads and donate them toAlberta’s school libraries. In return, Nature Watch helps promote the benefactors’ environmentally and socially friendly products and services. Only donors engaged in the new green economy are accepted into the program. Community Natural Foods has donated several copies to date.
Elementary and High School Lectures
On a regular basis Community Natural Foods sends employees to schools on request to discuss several topics of interest including: business practices, basic nutrition and why purchasing organics is beneficial for people and the earth.
Environmental Welfare
R.E.A.P – Respect For The Earth and All People
REAP Business Association was founded inCalgaryin 2006 with the vision to create a vibrant and sustainable local economy where citizens understand and value the impact of shopping locally. REAP consists ofCalgarybusinesses who are concerned about creating a more sustainable city. These businesses make ethical business decisions – buying green power, paying their employees a living wage, supporting local suppliers and giving back to theircommunity.
Community Natural Foods support R.E.A.P. by being a member of the association, by attending REAP events and by selling the REAP coupon books.
Green Calgary
Green Calgary is a dynamic, non-profit urban environmental organization with a mission to empower Calgarians to create healthy homes and communities through environmental education, products and services. Since 1978 Green Calgary has sought to address a range of pressing urban environmental issues including pollution, waste management and resource conservation. As the nature and understanding of these and other issues has evolved over the years, so too has Green Calgary’s focus, programs and approach. In addition to providing information and raising awareness, our organization strives to provide the specific tools and resources that empower individuals and groups to make positive environmental changes.
Community Natural Foods support Green Calgary by sponsoring the salary of two employees.
Alberta Wilderness Society
Alberta Wilderness Association (AWA) is the oldest wilderness conservation group inAlbertadedicated to the completion of a protected areas network and the conservation of wilderness throughout the province. Founded in 1965 in rural southwestAlbertaby backcountry enthusiasts, ranchers and outfitters, the AWA has grown into a province wide organization.
Community Natural Foods participates in the annual Climb for Wilderness by sponsoring 3 teams of employees to climb the tower. In addition we have been a sponsor of their annual gala.
Canadian Parks And Wilderness Society (CPAWS)
CPAWS isCanada’s voice for wilderness. Since 1963 they have led in creating over two-thirds ofCanada’s protected areas. That amounts to about half a million square kilometres – an area bigger than the entireYukon Territory! Their vision is thatCanadawill protect at least half of the public land and water. As a national charity with 13 chapters, 40,000 supporters and hundreds of volunteers, CPAWS works collaboratively with governments, local communities, industry and indigenous peoples to protect our country’s amazing natural places. We’re also on guard to ensure that our parks are managed to protect the nature within them.
Community Natural Foods recently sponsored the printing of the CPAWS newsletter.
Animal Welfare
Rasta
R.A.S.T.A. is a non-profit registered charity devoted to animal rescue and protection through public education and advocacy. Originating asAlberta’s Premier all animal rescue with a unique non-discriminatory approach (open to all animals regardless of breed, size, age or species) nearly a decade ago, R.A.S.T.A. began to recognize a desperate need for farm animal refuge and advocacy. Over time, this inspiration led to R.A.S.T.A.’s eventual evolution to a permanent refuge for abandoned and abused animals. RASTA is located just 10 minutes south ofCalgary.
Community Natural Foods supports Rasta by donating clippings from our produce departments.
http://rastarescue.org/?page_id=2
Calgary Humane Society
The Calgary Humane Society CHS) has been serving the greaterCalgaryarea for over 89 years. The CHS is a charitable, non-profit organization that provides care for surrendered, neglected, abandoned and abused animals. Every year, CHS shelters more than 8,000 animals fromCalgaryand surrounding area. They rely oncommunitysupport and donations from caring individuals and organizations to keep the operations and programs running. They offer many programs and services that benefit Calgarians, including: adoptions, behaviour classes and workshops, education Programs for children, a pet gear store, cremations, pet safekeeping program as well as emergency boarding programs. The Calgary Humane Society’s mission is to help as many animals as they can.
Community Natural Foods supports the Calgary Humane Society by sponsoring their annual Dog Jog and Cocktails for Critters Fundraisers.
General Donations and Sponsorships
Annually Community Natural Food provides in kind and financial support to over 50 local grass roots events and organizations.
Community Natural Foods Community Programs
Free Public Lectures
Each Thursday from September to June Community Natural Foods hosts free to attend lectures at the 10th avenue location. These include nutrition experts, authors and chefs. The schedule can be found under events on this website.
Community Event Attendance
Annually Community Natural Foods attends up 70 events in the Calgary community. These events include festivals, trade shows, wellness fairs, lunch and learns as well as fundraisers.
Community Natural Foods Stampede Breakfast
Voted best place to snag a Stampede Breakfast by FFWD magazine our annual Stampede Breakfast is the greenest in the city! This event is well attended with over 2000 people fed in 4 hours at our Chinook Store Location. We serve real syrup and butter with our pancakes and provide celiac and vegan options. We encourage attendee’s to bring their own plate and provide compostable plates for those who don’t. The event is run by wind and solar power and is near zero waste. (we improve on this each year!) Many of the community partners on this page are invited to attend and inform attendee’s of their organizations which is a win, win for all involved! We host the event on the second Saturday of Stampede from 7:00 – 10:00am. Come early as the line up gets long.
Random Acts of Community
From April 22, 2010 to April 21, 2011, Community Natural Foods committed to recognizing unique people nominated for Random Acts of Community awards. Throughout the year we posted 52 Random Act of Community nominee profiles weekly on our website. Then on April 21, 2011 Community Natural Foods we hosted an Awards Celebration to recognize the unique people nominated throughout the year in celebration of the growing movement and individual outstanding Random Acts of Community.To see a list of Random Act nominees, please click here
Daily Conscious Living Tips
Over the course of a year, Community Natural Foods set out to provide one tip for conscious living everyday. From things we can all do to the simplest of tasks, our Daily Living Tips provided inspiration, education and fun. Click here to view our Daily Conscious Living Tips
