Turnor Lake & Birch Narrows Community Food Center with Rebecca Sylvestre
Lawson Foundation Child and Youth Diabetes Strategy Virtual Learning and Connecting Series Episode # 11
Each episode in the series features speakers discussing topics related to health and Indigenous communities. The goal of the series is to inform participants from various sectors about Indigenous communities and their relationships with health and wellness, as well as with chronic diseases like diabetes. The series fosters and encourages relationships among speakers, foundation and nonprofit leaders, researchers, and policymakers to work toward better supporting Indigenous communities.
About the current episode
Rebecca Sylvestre will share about the Turnor Lake & Birch Narrows Community Food Center, the first Community Food Centre in Saskatchewan and one of three CFCs in an Indigenous community. The Center brings a unique Northern First Nations and Métis perspective, raising awareness of the importance of sustainable, traditional foodways.
In Turnor Lake alone, over 40% of the population suffers from diabetes. The financial burden is compounded by the cost of medications, forcing individuals to make impossible choices between essential expenses. To combat the prevalence of diabetes and promote healthier lifestyles for Turnor Lake and Birch Narrows children and youth, the Center integrates more nutritious and sustainable options into the local food system. This is a crucial step towards creating a healthier, more resilient community for generations to come. The Community Food Centre’s programs are about improving access to food while also preserving and practicing their food traditions.
Birch Narrows First Nation and Turnor Lake Hamlet are located 700 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon in an area of rich boreal forest. These two tight-knit communities consist of 800 people from both Dene and Cree Nations.
