Dear Good Food Box Supporters
Through 2023 we saw an increase to the cost of living. As grocery store prices climb, more people are looking to find affordable fresh produce to feed themselves and their families. Now more than ever, the Good Food Box is a great way to strengthen and sustain food systems while increasing fresh food access for the community.
If you have the means, please consider donating to the program when you purchase a bag, or donate to our annual fundraiser, the
Gift of Good Food.
What is the Good Food Box?
The Good Food Box program offers fresh, high-quality fruits and vegetables to neighbourhoods across Victoria. Available in different sizes to meet your needs, these boxes are curated with seasonal produce, often sourced from local farmers promoting a sustainable food system.
The Good Food Box is a program of the Fernwood Neighbourhood House, a non-profit organization based in Victoria. The Good Food Box is brought to you by your community, lovingly packed and delivered by volunteers.
Boxes are available for pick-up or home delivery every Wednesday.
Who can participate?
Anyone. We welcome box orders from anyone who wants to support the program—in fact, we are stronger and more sustainable the larger our customer base.
We aim to keep our prices as low as possible to provide access for fresh, nutritious fruit and vegetables.
Why order a Good Food Box?
You will save money.
Good Food Box is like a bulk-buying club. We pass the savings on to you, and only add a small mark up to cover operating costs. Our goal is to make produce available at the lowest price possible to the greatest number of community members.
You will be supporting bags at no- cost for families who need it.
In 2023, our Gift of Good Food campaign fed 228 families, seniors and new parents facing barriers to accessing nutritious, fresh food. Every bag purchase supports this program to keep running, week in week out to get food in bellies.
You will be supporting local farmers.
Good Food Box orders seasonal produce from local and regional farmers. We love working directly with farmers across the Saanich Peninsula to get the freshest seasonal produce into our bags. We do source from other places, mostly within a 200 mile radius, though through the winter months especially, many fruits and some vegetables come from international sources. We always prioritize buying locally.
Our Sustainable Bag
Customers choosing to buy this bag can be assured that the produce has been grown using methods that encourage soil health, without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
We include a combination of Certified Organic, spray-free and sustainably grown produce, which prioritizes local produce grown right here on the Saanich Peninsula.
Organic Certification provides credibility and assurance to consumers that the products are genuinely organic and have met strict organic standards. Sustainable farming refers to farms that may adhere to organic growing practices but choose not to go through the formal certification process to achieve official verification from certifying bodies.
This bag will continue to predominantly feature produce from local small-scale farms, including North Star Organics, The Plot Market Garden, Farm or Die, Peas & Carrots, Teto & more.
How do I order a box?
Three ways to order:
- Online
- By phone at 250-381-1552 x100
- In person at Fernwood Community Centre
- By email at info@fernwoodnrg.ca
Orders and payment are due prior to each pick-up date. The deadline for ordering is Saturday at midnight.
When you order, you get to choose where you would like to pick-up your box (see our pick-up locations here).
Due to the pre-order nature of our program, all Good Food Boxes are final sale.
If there was an error with your Good Food Box or if you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us immediately at 250-381-1552.
Can I have my box delivered?
Our volunteer drivers are busy! If you are able, please pick up your box at Fernwood, Fairfield, Oaklands, Burnside Gorge, Saanich, Vic West, or Quadra.
Yes, you can have your box delivered right to your doorstep. You can have up to 3 boxes delivered to the same address for a single fee.
Delivery is available throughout Greater Victoria within the boundary of Admirals Road, McKenzie Avenue and Sinclair Road.
Our volunteer drivers deliver Good Food Boxes Wednesday afternoon. Under normal circumstances, your box should arrive between noon and 2:00. Please note that we cannot guarantee an exact delivery time.
Drivers will only try to deliver once. If you are not home, please note on your order form where to leave it. Drivers will try to tuck it out of sight, but there will be no refunds for people who didn't answer.
When do I pick-up my box?
Pick-up your box every Wednesday. (See the schedule at the top right-hand corner of this page)
The Fernwood Community Centre’s pick-up happens between 1:30pm and 8:30pm at 1240 Gladstone Avenue, Victoria.
Our
partner pick-up locations each have their own pick-up policies.
Click here for specific information about each location.
Can I make a special request for my box?
One way we keep our prices low is by picking the produce for you. We cannot accommodate special requests of box content. When ordering, we focus on what is in season and is available at the best price closest to home.
Do you have specific delivery or pick up times?
Delivery:
We do not have specific delivery times for any location. Home deliveries are made by volunteer drivers and happen over Wednesday afternoon.
Pick Up:
Good Food Boxes can be picked up Wednesday afternoon unless otherwise specified. We try our best to be on time, but calling ahead to your pick up location may be best to avoid any missed pick up times. Wednesday are designated pick up day. Each organization has different pickup times depending on their staff capacity and opening hours. If you are unable to pick up your Good Food Box on Wednesday it may be donated to community programs the following day. Get in touch with the organization you are picking up from if you are unable to pickup your bag.
Bring a cloth bag to get your vegetables home safely
The Good Food Box works hard to reduce waste, and we try to make packaging choices that are less damaging for the environment. We have selected heavy-duty recycled paper bags with that are manufactured in Richmond. These bags are recyclable—and they make great liners for your counter-top compost catcher.
But when it rains, they are about as strong as…a wet paper bag.
And it is not just when it rains. Broccoli often comes packed in crushed ice. Lots of the local vegetables have been recently harvested and washed, and are still damp. Cool vegetables sometimes form condensation. All of this can add up to a weakened bag—and we want your Good Food Box to get home safely.
Please bring a cloth bag when you pick up, just in case.
Can I pre-order boxes for upcoming weeks?
For many people, remembering to order every week is one too many things! Why not set up a standing order to remove the barrier of ordering each week? We can setup a bag weekly, biweekly or however else suits your schedule.
Email info@fernwoodnrg.ca or call Fernwood Community Centre on 250-381-1552 to get your standing order set up.
Check out our boxes page to help you decide which type of bag you'd like!
Why is my Good Food Box not the same every week?
We buy the best value available in the market, and that changes from season to season and week to week.