Equity Report

Practicing equity in all aspects of our work continued to be an important focus for Food First NL in 2022. We know that equity work is never done. There are always opportunities to self-assess, learn more, and adjust practices to reflect conversations happening in the community. We are always working to improve how we apply what we’ve learned. We are also working to create space for challenging systems of oppression, including colonialism, racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, ableism, and classism. We know that these systems need to be dismantled before we can achieve our vision of a province where everyone can eat with joy and dignity.

This process and work are always ongoing. We’re deeply committed to continuously learning, acting, and supporting our communities to use their power in ways that make sense for them. We look to our partners and our community to hold us accountable along the way.

What We Worked on in 2022

  • Group Equity Learning: We held an equity learning series with all of our staff throughout the year. The learning series included several internal sessions and several that were led by outside facilitators.
    2022 facilitators: First Light, Association for New Canadians, St. John’s Status of Women Council, and End Homelessness St. John’s. 

  • Individual Equity Learning: All of our staff engage in equity learning individually by reading up on topics related to their work and via webinars, conferences, courses, etc. We also created a shared equity resource collection so staff can identify helpful or interesting resources and share their reflections more easily. 

  • Giving Informed and Meaningful Land Acknowledgements: We reflected on how, why, and when we give land acknowledgements in our work. One of our actions was to make ours more informed by, and meaningful to, the work we do and our local communities. 

  • Providing a Living Wage: We committed to continuing to be a living wage employer during a time of rapid inflation and a cost of living crisis. This commitment required careful budgeting and recruitment, allowing us to provide a living wage while also growing our team.

  • Embedding Equity in our New Strategic Framework: We worked with Evenings and Weekends Consulting and our Board to ensure that equity is embedded throughout our new Strategic Framework.

What We Plan to Work on in 2023

  • Securing funds to work with a consultant to develop an Equity Framework to match our values with actions and ways to evaluate our progress

  • Creating and updating a number of different internal strategies and plans that build on our new Strategic Framework and reflect our Guiding Principles

  • Updating our Human Resources policy to formalize all of the improvements we’ve made and lessons we’ve learned over the past several years as we constantly pivoted to support our team through the pandemic

  • Focusing on how to apply an ‘ethic of care’ to our work internally, with our staff and Board, and externally, with our partners, supporters, and communities

  • Continuing to build, adjust, and improve on all of our previous work (see above) with intention and thoughtfulness