The CFM Program is administered by Food For All NB. Our vision is a New Brunswick that is connected, informed and engaged in food security for all.
Community Food Mentors are empowered to partner with communities to increase food knowledge, skills and strengths, to facilitate bridging with community members of all backgrounds, and to support the capacity of communities to address food security.
The work of CFMs will reflect these values:
To develop a network of dedicated food mentors in New Brunswick communities through a shared learning experience that will increase community engagements related to food security, food skills and knowledge, and intersecting subjects or causes such as health and climate.
The Community Food Mentor (CFM) Program was inspired by the success of Ontario’s Community Food Advisor (CFA) Program developed in 1992 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Health. In 2007, the Colchester East Hants, Cumberland and Pictou County Health Authority in Nova Scotia adapted the Ontario CFA program and developed the Community Food Mentor Project.
In 2010, inspired by the efforts in Ontario and Nova Scotia, the United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeastern NB partnered with the Mapleton Teaching Kitchen to redesign the CFM Program to reflect a Southeast New Brunswick context. A CFM coordinator was hired and in 2011, four pilot Community Food Mentor training sessions were delivered in both rural and urban settings: Kent County, Albert County and Westmorland County (Moncton).
In 2012, partners established a CFM Provincial Advisory Committee to support the expansion of the program, the Community Food Mentors and their actions.
In 2019, the NB Food Security Action Network became Food For All NB, underwent a full rebranding process and took the opportunity to update the CFM Program.
In 2022, the CFM Program was updated again, resulting in its current version.
