Iqaluit food centre wins $105,000 prize in national contest
Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre awarded the grand prize for the Northern/Atlantic Canada region
The Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre in Iqaluit is one of four organizations to win a grand prize of $105,000 in iA Financial’s annual national philanthropic contest. (File photo)
The Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre in Iqaluit has won a $105,000 prize in a national contest for its efforts to improve the quality of life and address food insecurity in the community.
There were 12 finalists, with Qajuqturvik awarded the grand prize for the Northern/Atlantic Canada region. The eighth annual contest is organized by insurance and wealth management firm iA Financial Group.
Qajuqturvik executive co-directors Joseph Murdoch-Flowers and Francine Doucet said the centre is grateful for the support, in a news release Friday announcing the prize.
They said it demonstrates the importance of ensuring people’s access to healthy food and addressing cost-of-living issues along with reconciliation efforts to support a thriving Inuit food economy.
The money will support food access programs and education, such as the centre’s produce box and country food box programs, and the Inuit Women’s Circle.
Qajuqturvik prepares between 350 to 500 free meals five days a week. Its annual report for 2023-2024 said it had provided 66,000 meals to Iqaluit residents for a second straight year.
In the coming weeks, Qajuqturvik plans to open a country food and bulk store.
Other contest grand prize recipients are the La rue des Femmes Foundation in Montreal, Food4Kids Halton in Burlington, Ont., and the Vancouver Food Runners in Vancouver.
That’s awesome to hear, keep up the great work bettering the life’s of who needs the service.
Great news for Great people, Now match it, Arctic coops, Northern, Cdn North, Baffinland, NTI, QIA, GN, and provide 300,000 meals a year