What is "Growing Up Organic"?
   

Growing Up Organic (GUO) is a national initiative of Canadian Organic Growers (COG), and locally of the Organic Food Council of Manitoba-COG.  This initiative is designed to increase the amount of organically grown food in Canadian institutions, beginning with child care centres.  The primary motivation for starting with child care centres is to ensure that the most vulnerable members of our society, young children, have access to organic food.

GUO also works with elementary, junior high, and senior high school teachers and administrators to increase the amount of organic food served in their cafeterias and other food programs.

View a pdf of the Growing Up Organic FAQ

Participating GUO childcare centre urban farm tour; high school GUO composting workshop; public outreach composting workshop.

• To link institutions with locally grown organic food sources;

• To increase the number of organic farms; and 

• To develop local rural and urban organic food systems.

How is the Organic Food Council of Manitoba involved?

Sharon Taylor at Wiens Shared Farm market stand; Janine Gibson, Chair of OFCM-COG,NITC presenting educational session; child at a GUO farm tour.

The Organic Food Council of Manitoba (OFCM-COG) is one of four COG chapters heading up the Growing Up Organic initiative. Growing Up Organic can also be found through Island Natural Growers, Salt Spring Island; Ottawa Canadian Organic Growers; and Perth/Waterloo/Wellington.

Here in Manitoba, we are working with a variety of institutions to increase the presence of local organic food. There are several aspects to our integrated program.  We connect facilities with local organic food sources. We provide information sessions, educational materials, menu and recipe planning and organic farm tours. We work one-on-one with child care centres and schools and tailor the program to meet their needs

GUO is Branching Out

Growing Up Organic now has 21 locations participating or recently signed up! Each location participates by either ordering through a local distributor or purchasing organic food from Manitoba stores.  Locations order differing amounts, depending on factors such as budget, programming, and number of program participants. The goal of GUO Manitoba is to gain commitment to the program from 35 child care centres by year five of the project and we are well on our way to realizing that goal.

Growing Up Organic doesn’t only aim to get locally grown organic food onto the plates of children in Manitoba, we also offer up some fun and educational workshops and tours for participating locations.

Participating Locations
 
• Casa Montessori & Orff School Inc

• Chancellor Before and After School Program

• Children's House Montessori
• Cresentwood Children's Centre
• Day Nursery Centre

• Eco-U Kids Camp (WASC)

• Edible Heritage Youth Garden
• K.I.D.S. Inc

• Laugh N Learn
• LaVerendrye School Before and After School Program
• Provincial Employees Day Care (Osborne Street location)

• Provincial Employees Day Care (Portage Ave location)

• Sisler High School Foods and Nutrition Program
• Taking Care!
• U of W Student Association (Soma Café)
• Whyte Ridge Before and After School Program

*Updated July 2010


Contact us to find out how to add your centre to the list!

How do I get involved?

If you are a parent, childcare provider, teacher, school administrator, farmer, producer, volunteer or simply interested in getting involved in the project, please contact the Manitoba Coordinator to receive more details about the program. 

Child care centres or other institutions will review the project material and establish a trial period for commitment to the Growing Up Organic project.  We will then help integrate affordable organic food into the facility.