Community Cabbage (University of Victoria)

Community Cabbage is a student organization at the University of Victoria. During the school year, we serve free biweekly hot meals to campus and community members prepared from reclaimed food – edible but unsellable food donated by grocery stores. A crew of volunteers turn these ingredients into a healthy and delightful vegetarian meal at a community kitchen. Anyone is welcome to come cook with us and/or eat with us!

Community Cabbage operates on WSÁNEĆ and Lək̓ʷəŋən territory. We are continually learning and recognizing the privilege and responsibility of living, learning, and eating on this land.

In Canada, we participate in social and economic structures that are not indigenous to this place. They were installed by European colonizing forces that intentionally displaced existing indigenous systems.

The disruption of traditional food systems and takeover of land by settlers has resulted in the loss of food sovereignty and ongoing food security challenges for many communities. It is imperative that food movements, especially those relating to food security, understand the ongoing nature of colonialism, and work to dismantle it.

At Community Cabbage, our mission is to realize an alternative food system that emphasizes the cultural and ecological foundations of food through sharing free meals and teaching food skills. Our goal is to ensure that we can contribute to the vital process of decolonization.

Mandates:

a) Increase access to healthy food;
b) Increase cooking skills amongst students and community members;
c) Decrease food waste while changing the perception of “waste” food, and
d) Provide a safe, community-oriented space for people to engage with food.