La Vida Local selects Just Food as 2024 charity of choice

Local grassroots, non-profit organization Just Food has been selected La Vida Local’s 2024 charity of choice.

Support Local

At the certified-organic Just Food Community Farm, located on a 150-acre farmstead near Blackburn Hamlet, people and projects come together to model and inspire small-scale, viable agriculture businesses and initiatives in the Ottawa region.

“I love that they are all about collaboration and partnerships, as are we,” says LVL Co-Founder Ruth McKlusky. “My favourite Just Food projects are the Youth Cooking Camps where youth “learn-through-doing" about food literacy, as they prepare their own lunch and snacks while enjoying nature, and the Start-Up Farm Program that supports new farmers – including New Canadians -- by offering access to land, shared infrastructure/equipment, and workshops.”

Buy Local

“I particularly love their Community Garden Network, which supports the sustainable development of community gardening across Algonquin land/Ottawa, and where food is celebrated as central to both culture and community,” says LVL Co-Founder Iona Green. “From a business perspective, Just Food operates in the same region (Ottawa/Eastern Ontario/Western Quebec) as we do, and their Buy Local Food Guide promotes the many wineries, cideries and agritourism businesses we visit on our tours, so it’s nice to be able to support such an important local charity that also provides support to our local tour partners.”