Halifax Public Libraries Snack Sacks

Since April, Halifax Public Libraries has been packing healthy snack packs for surrounding communities in need. Before COVID-19, Halifax Public Libraries had been serving daily healthy afterschool snacks to children and teens, and social tea events weekly to adults. This new project is in response to the high rates of food insecurity in our community, and the reduced access to local food resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To date, over 16,000 snack bags have been distributed to HRM communities, including Spryfield, Sackville, Dartmouth North, Downtown Halifax, North Preston and surrounding areas. Snack packs include fresh local fruit from Nova Scotian farms, and other packaged snacks to provide a boost of nutrition and alleviate hunger for some. 

Snack bags continue to be packed by dedicated staff of the library by using pandemic specific food safety guidelines to ensure the safety of the families receiving them. Packs are then delivered to local family resources centres such as The North Grove, Family SOS and Chebucto Connections, ensuring that they are reaching families most in need. Freedom Kitchen, a non-profit project offering free ready-to-eat meals from a food truck in Sackville, has also been distributing these snack packs as an added service. In May, a new service emerged as temporary restrooms were made available to the public on the back plaza at Halifax Central Library. Snack bags have also accompanied this service for those in need. 

This snack pack project was made possible by a Building Vibrant Communities grant provided by the province of Nova Scotia. Halifax Public Libraries' FoodSmart project will continue to focus on improving food access and providing food literacy programming to support the health and wellbeing of our communities.

Find out more about what’s going on at the Halifax Public Library at https://www.halifaxpubliclibraries.ca.