Province gives $300,000 grant to Hope Blooms kitchen expansion

NEWS RELEASE
PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA
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All children should have access to healthy food and a supportive community. That is why government is helping Hope Blooms, a social enterprise run by children and youth in Halifax's North End, build a new kitchen and triple the number of participants in its programs.

“The programs and services provided to youth and families by Hope Blooms have a real and lasting impact on this community,” said Premier Stephen McNeil, who visited Hope Blooms today, Feb. 21. “We are proud to support social enterprises like Hope Blooms that think differently about challenges and solutions, act with integrity and ultimately make our communities and our province stronger.”

Government is providing a $300,000 grant to support the construction of a 3,000 square foot (278 square metre) kitchen that includes an indoor herb garden, industrial kitchen space for eight work stations and shared cooking and eating space for up to 120 people. This expansion will allow Hope Blooms to work with more than 230 children and youth and more than 200 families year-round.

Quotes:
“We know youth can be their own agents of change. Our new global kitchen for social change will give youth from diverse ethnicities the resources and space to create social enterprises while empowering them to envision their own future careers – all while giving back to their community.”
     – Jessie Jollymore, executive director, Hope Blooms

“Our global kitchen is a dream come true for me and my community. Not only will it bring us all together, but it will also create so many more opportunities for all our youth. For me, it is growth and it is hope coming to life right before my eyes.”
     – Craig Cain, founding Hope Blooms youth participant now studying for a Red Seal in culinary from Nova Scotia Community College

Quick Facts:
— to date, 175 children have participated in Hope Blooms programs
— to date, 10 high school graduates have gone on to post-secondary with the support of a community scholarship they earned through their participation in the program
— Hope Blooms provides 260 healthy meals and 300 healthy snacks each month – free of charge – to community members in the North End
— the total cost to complete the global kitchen for social change is estimated to be $1.6 million
— since 2014, Communities, Culture and Heritage has provided more than $460,000 in project-based and operational funding to Hope Blooms
— in September, Invest Nova Scotia provided a $1.2-million fully repayable loan to Hope Blooms
— Feb. 24-28 is Social Enterprise Week in Nova Scotia, celebrating the contributions of social enterprises dedicated to helping those with diverse abilities use their talents and access employment and training opportunities
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