Just Food is a grassroots, non-profit organization that includes staff, volunteers, community partners, members and funders.
All projects are community-based. We seek direction from our broad community partners. We solicit feedback through our project advisory/ steering committees and through the monthly newsletter. All members are invited to meet formally once a year and provide feedback into the work of Just Food. Overall direction comes from the Board, with staff input.
Co-Chairs:
Cliff Gazee
Co-Chair 2004-present
(Chair 2003-2006)
Community Development and Community Health Expertise
Race Relations, Anti-Poverty and Journalism Background
Cathleen Kneen
Co-Chair 2008-present
(Board member 2006-present)
Chair of Food Secure Canada
Farming background
Board members:
Jason Garlough
Board member 2007- present
Volunteer 2006-2007
Farming background, Computer expertise
Director of Marketing, Anthony Macauley Associates
Kurtis R. Andrews
Board member 2009 – present
Farming Background
Lawyer: Donald R. Good and Associates
Dr. Patricia Ballamingie
Board member 2011
Carleton University, Dpt. of Geography and Environment &
Institute of Political Economy
Elodie Mantha
Board member – 2011
Policy Analyst: Environment Canada, Aboriginal and Stakeholder Affairs
Moe Garahan, Executive Director
Moe has been working on food security issues in Ottawa since 1995. As a community developer at Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, she was part of the founding teams in Ottawa for the Good Food Box, the Community Gardening Network and the Ottawa Food Security Council. Since 2004, she has been the Executive Director of Just Food (previously OFSC), building a range of community-based projects to integrate food access and food localism within the mixed urban and rural settings of Ottawa. Moe has taken leadership roles organizing at regional, provincial and national levels on food and farming issues, and is presently an advisor to Sustain Ontario.
Heather Hossie, Project Manager, Savour Ottawa
Heather has worked on Community Economic Development initiatives at Just Food since 2006. She has been coordinating the Savour Ottawa initiative since its inception and also presents the Reel Food Film Festival each year. Heather has worked at various non-profits for over a decade, though was introduced (and got hooked on) sustainable local agriculture while overseas. Ever since, she has kept an eye to agriculture, food systems and local economic development. Heather loves to eat, so working with local farmers, chefs, retailers and eaters is a natural fit!
Terri O'Neill, Coordinator, Community Gardening Network
Terri O'Neill has been with Just Food since 2007. As the Community Gardening Network Coordinator, she works with the City of Ottawa, landowners, the broader public and more than 30 volunteer garden coordinators within the Network to enhance community gardening. She is also responsible for managing the allocation of the Community Garden Development Fund and assisting community members to establish new gardens across the City. A graduate of Ryerson's Food and Nutrition Program, she discovered her passion for food security work while studying. Terri loves to cook with, and to eat fresh, tasty food and believes that there is no fresher or tastier food than the food that you grow yourself.
Erin Krekoski, Coordinator, Food for All
Erin joined Just Food in January 2010 as the Food for All Ottawa food policy project coordinator. She grew up in the middle of a big family on a farm in northeast Alberta, where she learned early on to love good food. Erin has worked on a number of community-based research, social justice, and food security projects, and believes that when communities come together to work for change, incredible things can happen.
Erin O'Manique, Project Manager, Community Food and Urban Agriculture Hub
Erin made the switch to local food issues after a 25-year career in international development, specializing in biodiversity and sustainable agriculture policy. A passionate urban gardener who believes in cooking real food for her family, Erin got involved in the Food for All project and led the policy writing team on community food programs. She is now the Project Manager for the Community Food and Urban Agriculture Hub project, and is working with broad partners to develop a beautiful, dynamic facility. Erin is also a soprano and has sung with the Ottawa Choral Society for as long as she can remember.
Just Food gratefully acknowledges the support it receives from these funders:
Main Funders
City of Ottawa
Trillium Foundation
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Canadian Institutes of Health Research