Buy Local Share Local
Buy Local, Share Local, presented by RBC, is an initiative of the Ontario Association ofFood Banks.
Statistics show that 72.4 per cent of Ontarians turning to food banks do not have access to the required servings of fruits and vegetables. Buy Local, Share Local was designed to help improve the amount of fresh, healthy, local produce acquired and distributed by food banks to those in need.
Throughout the course of the campaign Ontario Food Banks host fresh food drives at local farmers’ markets across the province. Market goers are encouraged to purchase an extra portion of fresh Ontario foods to donate to their local food bank. Every donation helps people facing hunger in those communities.
Benefits of BUY LOCAL, SHARE LOCAL
The Environment: Buying local food provides consumers with an opportunity to make a seemingly small change in their daily routine resulting in a positive environmental benefit. Local products incur fewer ‘Food Miles' when traveling from producer to consumer, reducing the environmental impact associated with transportation. In addition, local foods require less packaging in order to reach the market undamaged, thus reducing the amount of waste created.
Your Health: The healthiest ingredients in fresh food such as vitamins and minerals decrease with age. Food that takes longer to get from field to plate is less nutritious than food that takes less time to make the journey.
Your Taste Buds: Food which spends less time in transit is fresher, and fresh food tastes better.
The Safety of Your Food: Local food is subject to local health and safety standards. When a consumer buys from a local source, they know how their food was produced, processed, packaged, and stored.
Our Local Economy: Purchasing locally grown product helps support the hard work of a farmer in the local community. In turn, this sort of purchase helps encourage local economic development as a whole.
Connecting With Your Neighbours: Purchasing locally grown produce allows consumers to build relationships with their food suppliers. suppliers are able to meet and learn more about their customers. Consumers benefit from the expertise of the food producers through this connection, which boosts consumer confidence and helps nurture a sense of community.
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