PORT HAWKESBURY: Following the successful launch of a student-led food program in the Strait Area earlier this month, organizers are eager to expand the initiative to additional communities across Cape Breton.
Square Roots, a project led by students from Saint Mary’s University through the leadership group Enactus, leverages business as a force for social and environmental change. The program focuses on improving food security by providing low-cost produce that would otherwise go to waste.
Port Hawkesbury recently became the 14th community in Nova Scotia to implement the Square Roots program. Michele Tabensky, the community manager for Square Roots in Port Hawkesbury, oversees the newly launched initiative alongside local residents Yvonne MacDonald and Sandra Johnson.
“All the food that goes through the Square Roots program is food that would potentially land in a compost, so we’re helping the farmers that way too,” Tabensky explained.
As part of an initial food drop on March 8 to promote the program, approximately 2,000 pounds of food were delivered to Port Hawkesbury and distributed free of charge.
“So, we set up here at Port Hawkesbury in the Civic Centre and we had the free food,” Tabensky said. “And in a couple of hours it was all gone.”
The following day, Square Roots had 700 pounds of surplus produce from other deliveries and reached out to Tabensky to see if she could distribute it.
“Based on how much was left I just did a pop-up,” she said. “In 15 minutes of arriving I had everything set up at the civic centre again.”
The produce sold out quickly once again, demonstrating strong community demand for the program. The official launch in Port Hawkesbury is set for March 21, when a link will be shared on the Port Hawkesbury Square Roots Facebook page for people to place their orders. Pick-up will take place on March 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Civic Centre.
“Everybody is so keen to order,” Tabensky noted, emphasizing that “there’s no financial status to take part, the program is for everyone.”
Any surplus produce from Port Hawkesbury is donated to local organizations or non-profits to prevent waste.
“People can also give a donation if they want, and we can use those donation dollars to give food to someone,” she added.
Nathaniel Collier and Sarah Wheeler, co-project managers with Square Roots at Saint Mary’s University, highlighted the program’s recent growth. A grant was recently awarded to support its expansion into more communities across the province.
“To just see where we can find support for our program in communities in and around the province,” Collier said. “And it was a massive success.”
Collier noted that while it can be challenging to maintain consistent support for the program in larger cities, smaller communities have demonstrated strong engagement.
“But in smaller communities, people really do rally around the cause,” he said. “So, it’s been a lot easier gaining traction in more rural communities where produce might not be super accessible at a low cost.”
On March 8, Square Roots also delivered 1,000 pounds of food to D’Escousse, where it was distributed at the local community hall.
During a recent Richmond County council meeting, Warden Lois Landry commended Square Roots for bringing the program to the area and expressed appreciation for the volunteers at D’Escousse Hall who helped facilitate the food distribution. Discussions are now underway to establish a similar program in April, modeled after the initiative in Port Hawkesbury.
“It was great, there were tomatoes and cucumbers, and it was really good food. And it went to locals free of charge,” Landry said.
Collier expressed enthusiasm about the potential for D’Escousse, Baddeck, and Inverness to launch their own Square Roots programs. He emphasized the strong interest in the Strait Area, noting that local communities “see the value” in having access to affordable fresh produce.
“So, because of that, I think the program is going to work out really well in those areas,” he said.