With the annual Award for Excellence in Health Promotion established in 2007, the SHCHC is proud to honour individuals whose activities and initiatives have contributed to improving the health and wellness of our community. These unsung heroes deserve our recognition for their contributions to building healthy Sandy Hill and Ottawa East communities through activities such as health education, policy initiatives or increased public awareness around health issues, and who demonstrated leadership and collaborated with others to promote health and wellness in the community. 

This year, the award was presented at the Annual General Meeting on June 26th, to the Sandy Hill Good Food Market and Good Food Box Volunteers in Strathcona Heights, in recognition of their significant leadership by strengthening health knowledge and skills, sustaining environment supportive of health and having a significant impact in the community of Strathcona Heights.

The Sandy Hill Good Food Market (Sandy Hill GFM) is a community market that sells a variety of high quality fruits, vegetables and dried goods at great value. The markets are a partnership with Sandy Hill resident volunteers and SHCHC. These markets create vibrant and fun community events that bring residents together with activities for children, cooking demonstrations, and information about healthy eating and community services. Sandy Hill Good Food Markets take place at 731A Chapel St, in Strathcona Heights, where access to healthy food options at affordable prices is limited, especially for those with limited mobility. In 2013 and 2014, 19 volunteers from the neighbourhood worked together to plan, organize, promote and carry out 9 GFMs. In 2014, with the end of the Good Food Market season, residents have now initiated a Good Food Box (GFB) site in the neighbourhood to continue to increase access to healthy, high quality fresh fruits and vegetables at wholesale prices.

The volunteers of the GFM and GFB are committed to creating positive change in their neighbourhood by increasing access to healthy food and building community.

Ms. Fabienne Tougas accepted the award on behalf of the group.