Major Uplifting Project

Food Insecurity Across  North America Almost 25percent of Americans are Food Insecure .a jump from 5percent  points from year Earlier .In Canada almost 6million Canadians live in 10 provinces live in households that face some level of Food Insecurity.Nunavut has the largest proportion of households living with food insecurity with almost 50 percent of households facing moderate to severe food insecurity .With fact that Indigenous people living off the reserves are 27percent more likely to suffer food insecurity compared to 11percent of non indigenous households this is becoming a major concern . Our company believes tht with Greenhouse and Food hubs that are established in these Community's would reduce number of people who can not access established programs because of barriers such as transportation.mobility.disability.elderly.geographical and give them access to resources and fresh produce all year around .

Our solution is to establish year around Greenhouse and Food hubs in Rural . Indigenous.Low income Communities that would give access to fresh produce and pantry items for people who can not access established programs because of barriers such as mobility.disability.transportation.geographical ,elderly.  By establishing these in these Community's either by using existing or creating free standing areas and making them more accessable to these vunerable communities it will reduce the number of people suffering poor health  because of more healthy accessable Food.promote physical activity .Teach people to grow thier own food . Foster better sense of Community and mental health  and reduce the stress on established food programs who saw a 50 percent increase of  people using thier services and strain on thier resources .Many Established programs have restrictions on how many times you can access Wich is either Monthly or Bi monthly .Do not have the Resources to offer Healthy Food Choices .Do not have choices for people that have dietary requirements such as gluten-free.peanut free or kid friendly items .People who have cultural restrictions often have to find alternative solutions then Food Banks .   we hoping by establishing food hubs and greenhouses in these Community's and allowing residence to have power to grow there own food and run thier own pantrys  that this would foster sense of unity and inclusiveness as they would know the needs of people in thier community better then anyone else .

Our solution serves Low Income . Indigenous and Rural Communities who because of barriers such as Transportation.Disability.Mobility . Geographic location,Elderly can not always access established social programs such as Food Banks .Most Food Banks do not offer choices for dietary restriction such as gluten free or peanut free or Culturally diverse choices .for example Muslims  have to look at other solutions to get Haala products as most donations to food banks don't included these items .Food banks have restrictions on how many times you can access such as bi monthly or monthly Wich equals to 6 to 12 times year .They offer maybe week's worth of meals and have restrictions on who can access them .Lot of Food banks do not take into consideration those who can't physically get to thier organization and do not offer delivery service to Elderly or Disabled people.Our program would not only offer Culturally diverse choices.but delivery service to disabled or elderly residents.Be fully accessable to people more then once a month or bi monthly because they be established in thier community .Green houses would be accessable all year around Wich would give them access to fresh produce and foster more healthy living and Food choices .Foster more Physical activity by having the opportunity to maintain greenhouses all year around .Teach younger Generation value of where thier food comes from and opportunities to participate in growing food for thier Community's .Foster inclusivity.Under standing and respect for thier Community's and reduce the strain on established social programs so that they can help more people .Since all Food hubs,Green Houses and Gardens would be Eco Friendly it would also the impact on the environment by using solar panels.reusing rain water.composting excess produce to be used on next year's harvest .And built using recycled materials .So in escence my solution would not only reduce food insecurity but reduce the negative impact on the environment .

 My goal  as an Indigenous Organization is to establish these Green houses .gardens and Food hubs in Every Indigenous Communties Across Canada  and Work intensely with the community .and leadership to create food share programs . transportation programs and bring in low cost spay and neuter programs to the Indigenous communities. Also to have regular contact with the community to address any concerns or impute on how to make the program better to make sure we are offering ways to empower and not hindering.  In the first year my goal is to fully fund these programs untill they are self sufficient 

I may not be as you say the best person to deliver this solution but as I see it I'm the only one that I have seen that is offering this type of solution to fight food insecurity for low income.Indigenous and Rural areas .I am just an Indigenous person that seen a flaw in the system of established social programs that under services these sectors of community and decided to try solve it .I have had meeting with Members of parliament and Indigenous Organization to put this program into gear .I have travelled to indigenous communities to talk to members and network. I have talked to city council of towns that boarder reservations to discuss how to better serve the Indigenous people in there Community's .Talked to Indigenous goverment agency's .Networked with other indigenous groups that are like minded to partner up .contacted organization like Canada food banks .good food organization and United way .

I am interested in any opportunity to learn that this program can offer .If thier is way for financial help well that's an added bonus 

Jade is Indigenous (Mohawk) who's family still resides on Tribal land .

What makes my solution innovative is the fact that it would be accessible to people who can not access established social programs because of barriers like transportation ,disability ,mobility , elderly geographical , It would lower the stress on already established Social programs by giving other outlets to people in need , the year around green houses would be able to produce produce for the communities year around and be able to be given to the vulnerable sectors in their community , By establishing a food share program it would lower the problem of food waste because the excess produce would go to other communities in need. The fact that all food hubs and green houses would be created by recycled materials would mean that not only gallons of water would be saved annually but also it would have solar panels to run the electricity and heat the green houses as well , the left over plant material would be composted and used for next years harvest. Not only that but there is no delivery service of food  to the elderly or disabled in many community's and we offer that service.

In the first year my goal is to establish at least 5 green houses and food hubs in Indigenous Communties.10 food hubs and greenhouses in low income Community's and 10 green houses and food hubs in Rural Communities .My goal in next 5 years is to stretch that to other parts of Ontario and Canada untill every reservation in Canada has these services as well as no cost or low cost vet and transportation programs

the program would help end hunger and  achieve food security to Low Income , Indigenous and Rural Communities and promote sustainable agriculture and improve nutrition by having year round greenhouses that produce healthy food choices all year around . especially in Indigenous Communities, While many indigenous people lack access to traditional meals or diets, the desire for more reasonable access to their traditional foods is powerful. In addition, high prices force families to choose cheaper, less nutritious options to feed themselves. Colonization not only deprived Indigenous people of food and ceremony, but traditional knowledge of food and its preparation were also lost along the way. Everything from the loss of teachings about wild plants, to the ongoing controversy around hunting and eating seal.Establishing Food Hubs in  low income and rural areas will help end hunger and achieve food security by having access to fully stocked pantries in their community .Not only that but it would promote responsible consumption and production by using things like solar panels for lights and heat , reusing rainwater to irrigate the plants saving hundreds of liters of water yearly , composting plant matter to be used  in future harvests instead of using chemicals .So it would reduce climate change by reducing the impact on resources such as water and land  but still provide sustainable  development . It would also make communities more inclusive ,resilient and sustainable  by reducing the impact on social programs such as food banks and other social programs . The way I would measure the outcome is not only surveys, chats on my facebook and website, Seeing the percentage of people not facing food insecurity in these communities'. 

my theory of change is this by making food more accessible to low income , indigenous and rural community's it creates more chances for people to thrive , and become productive members of society . Keeping people on social programs that have immense flaws to how they are run causes people to be more dependent on the government and willing to except the stigma of being less then or throw away members of society. when people have the believe that they are less then or valued less in society causes mental illness , crime and sense of despair. Suicide rates go up , crime rate goes up . It has been proven that there is link between low income neighborhoods and crime rate in society, if you give them power back by taking away barriers like food insecurity by giving access to basic needs ,  employment opportunities' , training in agriculture and horticulture ,utilizing trades like construction ,carpentry and electricians we actually are increasing the value of these community residence."How a society treats its most vulnerable is always the measure of its humanity and as A global Society we have failed miserably in this area we have actually proven how inhumane we really are. 

My solution is not a new concept it is actually a forgotten concept used by Indigenous ancestors and other cultures in the past. Gardens are of economic importance and also of aesthetic and social significance for indigenous peoples who sustain themselves by the cultivation of vegetables and grains. They may be the subject or locus of myth, and they are regularly the focus of ritual. Where subsistence gardening is the major economic activity, people usually have some food gardens close to their homes and others farther afield. In many societies, gardening is complemented with hunting and/or fishing.In colonial and postcolonial situations, subsistence economies have coexisted with cash economies, and gardening is no longer the only means of obtaining the food necessary for life. As well as being a primary source of food, the garden is also a metaphor for the meeting of life's needs. Colonization not only deprived Indigenous people of food and ceremony, but traditional knowledge of food and its preparation were also lost along the way. Everything from the loss of teachings about wild plants to hunting and eating seals , Bringing back Gardens and Greenhouses that focus on preserving the climate by using recycled materials and Forrest Gardens that are used Along the coast of British Columbia, Canada, former villages of the Ts'msyen and Coast Salish Indigenous peoples are flanked by what researchers have termed “forest gardens.” On lands covered in forests dominated by hemlock and cedar trees, these forest gardens represent abrupt departures from the surrounding ecosystem ..Raised Flower beds have been around in many cultures  for generations such as Hügelkultur, German for “hill culture,” is the practice of composting large woody material, such as tree logs, to create a raised garden bed,  Other excess garden waste, including prunings, hedge clippings and brushwood can be utilized to create the no-till bed for plants.Rain water Harvesting Obviously, it is nearly impossible to trace back to which civilization used the method of rainwater harvesting first, but evidence shows that different types of rainwater collection systems were used in 2000 BC in India, Mesopotamia, China, and modern day Israel.The basic design of these systems often involved a large rock formed into a basin using clay and other rocks to seal it from leaking. And then, using different diversion tactics, water would be stored and used for drinking, washing, agriculture and more.Ancient Native Americans used the natural flow of mountain rainwater runoff to collect and use throughout villages. In central Mexico, underground cisterns have been found that were used for collecting rainwater.Settlers and Natives would not have been able to survive in certain areas without the collection of rainwater. Using Solar Power to heat and grow plants In theory, solar energy was used by humans as early as 7th century B.C. when history tells us that humans used sunlight to light fires with magnifying glass materials. Later, in 3rd century B.C., the Greeks and Romans were known to harness solar power with mirrors to light torches for religious ceremonies.Agrovoltaics, which seeks maximum synergy between photovoltaic energy and agriculture by installing solar panels on farmland, is positioning itself as one of the benchmarks for making a sector that does not want to be left behind in the fight against climate change more sustainable. The shade from the panels cast on crops can affect their productivity, since they receive slightly less light — although this can benefit certain crops — but energy production compensates for this loss. According to a study published  if just 1 % of arable land were dedicated to produce solar energy, it would be possible to offset the world's energy demand. The practice of sharing food has been around since ancient times. According to National Geographic, there's evidence of meals being prepared and shared at a 300,000-year-old hearth*, which is the oldest ever found.As you can see in every aspect of my solution these technologies' have been used all over the world through history and in many cultures the advancement of society has made people disregard and overlook these practices for more updated technology and systems but the truth is if we go back to these ways then chances are that not only would food insecurity not be an issue ,but climate change ,water preservation and climate change and the impacts of climate change.

Food Insecurity doesn't care what color ,race or sexual orientation or heritage or financial status  you come from , So why should Major Uplifting project care , We offer volunteer , employment , and help to everyone who comes to us and asks for it .On our website we also raise funds for causes such as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Men and Two Spirit, Every Child Matters , Black lives Matters , Holocausts  Survivors , War In Syria and Ukraine . Jade is member of Disability without Poverty network and has joined committees in ST Catharines for Access for Disability's and Anti Racism as well as LGBTQIA rights.The Board of Directors of Major Uplifting Project represent multiple factions of society . Jayden is An Indigenous Women, who also represents the Disabled Community , Kimberley Mills is African American and a single parent , Jim Vandermass represents elderly, disabled and low income communities .And any employment or volunteer opportunity's will be open to ever one in the community and hopefully we can get others to represent other cultures and sexual orientations because who better to know the needs of those communities then a person that lives and  represents these  communities and wants to make impact. WE have a strict Anti Racism and Discrimination Policy's in place for all workers ,contractors, and employees.

The value of these programs that I am trying to establish will not only ease food insecurity to low income , rural and Indigenous areas by giving them access to fresh produce and pantry items but also give them feeling of control and sense of community and inclusiveness . Promote education of agriculture and  horticulture to the future generations , promote healthy living by fostering physical and mental activities. Reducing stress that causes mental issues by reducing the worry of food insecurity . We will hold educational programs on Healthy eating and menu planning , Horticulture and Agriculture thru the Good Food Organization , give access to programs like CFIN network who deals with food production and innovative distribution . We work with Disability without poverty by lobbying our government to change legislation . We network with Canada Food Banks and Good Food Organization ,Healthy Kids and Whole kids Foundation who offer programs like School Breakfast and Youth Gardens . We have partnered with United Way to help organize pop up produce store is strategic locations like low income housing , Local farms like small scale farms to purchase produce at lower cost. Programs like mine are in need because established social programs have seen a increase in past few years of 50 to 100 percent equallying up to 200 people coming thru there doors daily, but they do not offer culturally diverse choices or medical food restriction products , there are often restrictions on how many times you can access there program in ear either monthly or bi monthly , Many  are not accessible to people with disabilities' and do not offer home delivery to people that face barriers such as mobility, disability, geographical ,transportation and elderly shut ins and there is no funding to create or sustain these types of programs. If you access one food bank your are restriction from accessing other services or risk being terminated from their service list. Many established low cost vet programs have up to year waiting list or do not service their geographical location and many can not even handle the reduced costs for their pets which leads to pet abuse, neglect and abandonment wich over taxes the humane society's in their areas. Our low cost or no cost vet services will go to communities and offer spay and nurture programs , supplies and regular vet visits for vaccines and check ups ,we have contacted company's like Smack and pedigree and Pet Smart soliciting donations for pet supplies . 

The plan  for Major Uplifting Project to become financial sustainable is to apply for both Federal and Provincial Grants and Bursaries. Crowdsourcing with platforms like go fund me and FundRazr and Donorperfect  platforms , We are also planning to do Fundraisers and events in and out of our city such as e are apart of the Turkey Fair in Lansdowne Ontario in September. We goal is to raise over 600k to achieve our goal for the first year. We have also approached members of parliament on the federal and provincial level .We also have products that we will be putting on our website to help MMIW,Every Child Matters and also Major Uplifting Project. 

To be honest I have funded my program out of personal resources since December 2022, Not to man companies' or organizations are willing to take a chance on such a small non profit like myself even tho I have already been in business for 3 months I am still working 50 hours a week to secure my first grant. I wake up at 3 am every morning and fill out grants to 8am and then start my day , and running my other part time business and using the revenue from that to fund this . I believe in this solution will be able to help end food insecurity I have used christmas money as well to buy groceries for low income families' and pay to register this as non profit and soon Registered Charity. But I have secured a weekly Food delivery of 100lbs from a source in my city , Donations from private stores of supplies and help from United way to help fund and support pop up produce markets for the summer and fall seasons.