Donor Profile

Raising funds for chefs is icing on the cake!

What do birthdays, workouts, and Growing Chefs have in common? This year, our superstar volunteer, Barb Mackenzie, combined her passion for all three at her annual birthday workout. We’ve asked Barb to tell us all about it!

Barb stretches at her Annual Birthday Workout & Fundraiser.

How did you become involved with the Growing Chefs community?
I think I must have been doing a Google search to see about cool, inspiring programs in the community, by the community and came across Growing Chefs. I was so surprised and happy to learn it was a local program, teaching kids such great skills and knowledge. I thought the classroom program was absolutely amazing and wanted to learn how I could get involved.

Tell us more about your birthday workouts?
In lieu of birthday gifts I wanted to spread the love to the community and thought, what better way than to collect monetary donations and work with Growing Chefs to bring this program into a local Elementary School. So once a year, family and friends will get together to sweat it out! I host a different workout annually, and it's a great way for all of us to make time to come together, try something new, get out of our comfort zones and have fun together.

What inspires you to give back to your community?
It's something that just feels great, and fills my soul. Friends and family also love having the opportunity to get involved, and are always down to support as long as there's somebody coordinating the effort, lol. And now having three kids, I love getting them involved, and teaching them about thinking of others before themselves. 

Do you have any advice for people that want to host a unique event or fundraiser?
Find something you love doing, or something you've always wanted to try and rally all your friends and family. Reach out to the place you want to do something with, and they'll coordinate the details with you. The "fun" part is picking a date and time that works for most schedules, but if you have enough lead time, I find most people can make it happen. Humans love a reason to come together, and what better way then something fun, out of our comfort zone, community building and something we get to do together. 

Creative Community Impact Stories feature members of our community that are raising funds and awareness for Growing Chefs by doing what they love. If you have an idea for a fundraiser or a friend-raiser, reach out, we would love to hear from you. 

Contact:
Afton Bell
afton@growingchefs.ca

Magik Moments Await at our Trivia Party!

Our annual appreciation party for volunteers, donors and members of our Champion Radish club is coming up on June 12th. We're giving thanks to all the folks that support Growing Chefs by contributing the time, expertise, and funds that make our work possible.

Here’s what we have planned for this year’s party:

Elevate Your Selfie:
Magik Moments will be at the event! Bring your smile (and your silly) and capture the fun!

Trivia:
The quiz-tacular party begins at 4:30pm and we'll be hosting two rounds of family-friendly food trivia at 5:00pm and 5:45pm!

Food & Drinks:

We’ll be snacking on:
Aiyaohno Cafe: vegan gyoza and edamame hummus with crudité.
Salmon n' Bannock & Earnest Ice Cream: Signature Bannock served with Jam and a scoop of Earnest Ice Cream. 
We hope you will leave our party having tasted some fantastic flavours. Our offerings will be appetizer-size portions, please make plans for dinner after the event.

We’ll be sipping up:
Phillips Soda Works, Sheringham Gin, Lumette!, wine, beer and more! 

Prizes:
Trivia and Door prizes generously donated by Bruno Feldeisen, Earnest Ice Cream, East Van Jam, HerbaLand Naturals, House of Knives, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, Sea Cider, Tacofino, and West Coast Seeds.  

Details:
Date: Wednesday, June 12th
Time: 4:30-6:30pm
Location: Gladstone Secondary School  - Cafeteria

Registration:
If you are a donor, volunteer, or enthusiastic supporter of Growing Chefs, this event is for you. We ask that all attendees are registered for the event. Please reach out to afton@growingchefs.ca to receive a registration link. Kids are welcome to attend!

Special Thanks to our Event & Prize Sponsors

Thank You To Our Adopt-A-Classroom Supporters!

Each year, generous families and businesses donate to adopt a Growing Chefs classroom. These funds support the edible education experience for up to 25 B.C. kids through our Classroom Gardening & Cooking Program.

Image is of children sitting around a table in a classroom, looking at a plate of vegetables

Photo by Trudy Tran, T-Studio Marketing

Thank you to our Spring 2023 Adopt-A-Classroom supporters! 

Barbara Mackenzie (Vancouver classroom)

Connor, Clark & Lunn (Burnaby classroom)

Mary and Gordon Christopher Foundation (Vancouver classroom)

Les Dames D'Escoffier (Vancouver classroom)

Porte Communities (Vancouver classroom)

Port Moody Foundation (Port Moody classroom)

Adopting a classroom has many benefits, including receiving hand-made cards from the students, updates about the program in your classroom, and an invitation to watch the program in action. Teri from the Mary and Gordon Christopher Foundation recently visited a classroom and had this to say about the experience:

“Thank you for the fun experience this morning! My mom and I loved being with the kids! Growing Chefs is doing great work in classrooms.”

Please contact Afton Bell for more information on how you can adopt a classroom for fall 2023 or spring 2024! 

How sweet it is!

Sweet food industry friends, sweet flavours, and sweet essential funding for Growing Chefs.

Warm thanks to the Greater Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival for adding something oh-so-sweet to our winter. The Hot Chocolate Festival runs annually from January 15th to February 14th, highlights the skills and creativity of local restaurants, cafés, bakeries and chocolatiers, and raises essential funds for charities like us. The 2023 festival was as sweet as ever! 

Thank you to the patrons who purchased a hot chocolate—you not only supported a local business, but raised funds Growing Chefs! To all the businesses that participated, you knocked our socks off with your new flavours, skill, and generous donations. Thank you!

We can’t wait to see what sweetness is in store for 2024.

Donor Shoutout: From Farms to Forks 13 Auction

Thank you to all the people and local businesses that donated products, services, and experiences to the From Farms to Forks 13 Auction. Our winners have been gushing about the quality of the lovely packages, as they happily took them home to enjoy!

Check out the list of our generous Auction Donors below, you might find the perfect local business to support this winter. To everyone that donated to the auction - THANK YOU!

From Farms to Forks 13 Auction Donors:

Abeego

Agro Coffee Roasters

Anita's Organic Mill

Anja Jane

April Lacheur Art

Arterra Wines

Audain Art Museum

Authentic Wine & Spirits

Autostrada

Banyen Books & Sound

BC Lions

Bella Wines

Big White Ski Resort

Bon Macaron Patisserie

Boosh Foods

Canadian Outback Rafting

Climb Base5

Culmina Family Estate Wineries

Dalina

Davis Bay Tea Co.

Dead Frog Brewery

Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort

Dilly Dally

Earnest Ice Cream

Ellen Schwartz

Everything Wine (River District)

Fable Home

Fairmont Hotel Whistler

Fjallraven

Forbidden Vancouver

Four Winds Brewery

Gourmet Warehouse

Grizzli Winery

The Hive, North Shore

House of Knives

Iron Dog Books

Joey Restaurant

JOEY Restaurants

Kics Lemonade

Iris Lord & Lois Gagnon

Kidsbooks

Kitsch Wine

Kizzy's Macarons

Klippers Guest Suites

Klippers Organic Acres

Krause Berry Farm

Kula Kitchen

The Little Butcher

Little Creek Dressing

Little Kitchen Academy

Loot Toy Co

Mission Hill Family Estate Winery

Museum of Anthropology, UBC

Nature Bee

Off the Rail Brewing

Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm

Olé Cocktail Co.

Pacific Coastal Airlines

Pacific National Exhibition

Pacific Theatre

Parallel 49 Brewery

Parkside Brewery

Penguin Random House

Pizzeria Farina

Plot Wines

Pomme Natural Market

Pure Float

Rio Theatre

River Safari

Roberts Creek Wellbeing

Row Fourteen

Saul Good Gift Co.

Sea to Sky Gondola

Search & Rescue Denim Co

Select Wines

Soirette Connections

Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub & Guesthouses

Sriracha Revolver

Supported Soul

Swallow Tail Canada

Terra Breads

Tru Earth

Untangled Craft Cider

Vancouver Circus School

Vancouver International Children's Festival

Vancouver Mysteries

Vancouver Mysteries

Vancouver Naturopathic Clinic

Vancouver Water Adventures

Vancouver Whitecaps

The Wildflower

Ziptrek Ecotours

From Farms to Forks Auction – Coming this October!

Spring is a busy time at Growing Chefs! Our spring program is in full swing and we are starting to plan our favourite fall fundraiser. That’s right, From Farms to Forks 13 is coming this October. From Farms to Forks is our biggest fundraiser and always includes a totally rad(ish) auction. Our auction features the best in B.C. experiences, services, products, food, and beverages. Plus, we make the niftiest, creative names for our auction packages. We might be a bit biased, but we think our auction is the best thing since sliced carrots.

If you have an item that you would like to donate to thE 2022 auction, please fill out our online form. We’d be very happy to hear from you!

We would like to give a big thank you to all the people and local businesses that donated to last year’s auction. Check out the list of our generous auction donors below, you might find the perfect business or experience to explore.

From Farms to Forks 12 Auction donors (scroll down for photos):

All of Oils Wholesome Oils & Vinegars
Anh and Chi
Anita's Organic Mill
Ask For Luigi
Autostrada
Bandidas
BC Lions
Burdock and Co.
Canadian Outback Rafting
Dalina
Davis Bay Tea Co.
Dead Frog Brewery
Di Beppe
Dilly Dally
Earls
Enotecca Wineries and Resorts Inc.
Fernwood Coffee Company
Forbidden Vancouver
Four Winds Brewery
Giovane Bacaro
Gourmet Warehouse
Greater Vancouver Zoo
House of Knives
Hume Hotel & Spa
Iron Dog Books
Island Eko Pantry
Jackie Frioud Pottery
Joey Restaurant
Kannusamy
Kidsbooks
Klippers Guest Suites
Klippers Organic Acres
Little Kitchen Academy
Loot Toy Co
Iris Lord
Lumette
Marzano
MIla
Modo
Farah Motani
Museum of Anthropology, UBC
Niche Grocerant
Penguin Random House
Pure Float
Ranger Teacrafters
Rio Theatre
Roberts Creek Wellbeing
Row Fourteen
Salt Spring Cider
Scandinave Spa
Ellen Schwartz
Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse
Search & Rescue Denim Co
Sea to Sky Gondola
Sheringham Distillery
Sons of Vancouver Distillery Ltd
SPUD
Stile Brands
Susgrainable
Tempo Dry Gin
Terminal City Brewing
The Keefer Bar
The Preservatory
Thomas Allen & Son
Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods
Untangled Craft Cider
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Mysteries
Vancouver Naturopathic Clinic
Vancouver Water Adventures
What's Good Brands
Whole Foods Market
Jaydeen Williams
Ziptrek Ecotours




You Warmed up our Winter!

The 2022 Greater Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival has come to a close, but at Growing Chefs we are still feeling the warmth. This festival highlights the skills and creativity of local restaurants, cafés, bakeries and chocolatiers, and also helps raise funds for charities like us. The donations we received will help B.C. kids build connections to their food, the earth, local food systems, and with one another. Thank you to all the businesses that participated and to all the patrons that purchased a tasty hot chocolate. We are already excited to see what flavours are featured at next year’s festival!

Donor Shoutout: Culinary Cache

jjosuephotography_GrowingChefs2021_WEB-2.jpg

We soared through the From Farms to Forks Food Series, but we want to take a moment to look back and spread the love to our amazing sponsors and donors. Today we will be acknowledging those who contributed to our Culinary Cache, a complimentary gift bag that was delivered to our Food Series pass holders filled with tasty treats and products celebrating local food producers and businesses.

A big thank you to: Biota Fermentation, Dageraad Brewing, Davis Bay Tea Company, Earnest Ice Cream, East Van Jam, Edible Vancouver Magazine, Fresh Prep, Fresh Roots, Tempo Gin, Helmer's Organic Farm, House of Knives, KICS Lemonade, Klippers Organics, Legends Haul, Mission Hill Family Estate, Nature Bee Beeswax Wraps, Ono Vancouver, RISE Kombucha, Shaketown Brewing, Spread'Em Kitchen, The Preservatory, and Whole Foods Market.

An extra thank you to J. Josue Photography for capturing all of these images, Il Centro, Italian Cultural Centre for providing a safe space to pack our caches, our amazing volunteers from Traction on Demand for helping to pack everything, and Modo for zipping us around town! Below are photos of our team hard at work, and our donors LOVING their caches!