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Photo by Curtis Galbraith.
City Hall

Clayton optimistic about new food security idea

Dec 24, 2024 | 6:00 AM

Helping Hands has been picked by city hall to coordinate efforts around food security in Grande Prairie.

The two year pilot project will be reviewed after the first year.

Mayor Jackie Clayton says many organizations in the city are doing good work in this area, but there has not been integration of services.

“It was identified that a coordinator would be ideal to work with all the different organizations so that they, first of all, have a greater output of food to support our food insecurity in our city and also, so that there isn’t a duplication of services.”

Council approved giving Helping Hands $80,000 a year for the two years as part of this project.

Clayton says she is optimistic about what having this coordination will mean.

“Helping Hands is an organization that feels that they have the capacity and the knowledge and the experience to be able to be that coordinated service and council is looking forward to seeing what they were able to produce.”

Clayton says is hoping to see efficiencies come from this idea.

“The more people that we can support through the coordination the better.”

“All the organizations out there that are doing incredible work, we just want to make sure that they are able to provide the best service possible without a duplication of services and finding efficiencies so that we are able to support as many people as possible.”

Clayton says Helping Hands will work with groups like the Friendship Centre and Salvation Army.