Most Community Impact – Cumberland’s Green Grocer in Top 10 for BC-wide Award
Seeds Food Market is ‘doing good’. Before opening, owner Tina Willard-Stepan’s work history included a lot of experience in community development, so this has been a big focus of their business since the beginning, nearly 4 years ago. – Which is why they have recently been named a top 10 semi-finalist for the Best Community Impact Award with BC Small Business.
Seeds is constantly thinking up new ways to invest in their community. “This is why we chose this as a business project” says Willard-Stepan “because there are lots of ways to make an impact. It’s pretty cool to be recognized for this Province-wide.”
Their initiatives include things like: programs for students about sustainability and eating more nutritious food, a World Community Film Library, sponsoring local community-building events, regularly donating to the local Food Bank, sponsoring the school community garden, helping to support the local lunch program that feeds kids in need, to name a few.
Products and services also reflect wider community values. Seeds’ purchasing policy, for instance, is intentionally focussed on supporting other local businesses, farms and food manufacturers, re-circulating money back into the community. This contributes to a healthier environment and a more resilient local economy.
By opening their doors in a community that did not have groceries available, the impact on customer lifestyle is obvious – it makes a huge difference for citizens to have access to basic services in their own community, especially when approached with all of these larger values in mind. “They give a lot to the community – in the most basic way by providing a much-needed service. And in a bigger picture way by being so conscious about their business decisions and how they give to the community” says staffer Patricia Leeson.
Seeds will now begin an adjudication process with a panel of business leaders from around the Province in order to make it to the next stage of the award process. The Top Five finalists in each category will be announced January 30th. The final winner will be announced at a Small Business BC Gala party in Vancouver in February.
Seeds Natural Food Market is located at 2733 Dunsmuir, on the corner of Third Street and Dunsmuir in Cumberland.
Seeds is constantly thinking up new ways to invest in their community. |Currently Cumberland
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