Putting food on every table

We’re bringing dignified access to food to everyone in Nova Scotia’s Cobequid region

Where we started

Cobequid Food Security Network began with a simple idea: neighbours should care for neighbours, and no one in our community should go hungry. What started as small local initiatives has grown into a robust regional network. Today, we connect people, programs, and partners to remove barriers to food access. Beyond providing meals, we create opportunities to learn new skills, and build welcoming spaces to meet, share, and connect with others.

Fresh vegetables, including a whole cabbage, trimmed celery, and fennel, on a kitchen counter with blurred people in the background.

See our initiatives

Our mission

To provide dignified access to healthy food while building a stronger, more connected community through shared skills and spaces.

Our vision

A Cobequid Region where no one goes
hungry and everyone has a seat at the table.

Community in action

Schools Plus

A young boy wearing glasses and a gray t-shirt, with floral oven mitts, is cooking on a stove, holding a metal pot with a yellow liquid inside.

Close-up of a rainbow-colored striped fabric or ribbon with horizontal pattern.

CFN currently supports seven schools, giving students the chance to choose recipes and cook nutritious soups. These soups are provided for free at lunch, helping students build culinary skills, enjoy a healthy meal, and engage in hands-on learning within their school community.

Mobile Kitchen

A man and woman are in a cozy restaurant, preparing and serving a meal at a table with a green cutting board, vegetables, and disposable cups. The man is seated, while the woman is standing, wearing a light blue sweater. The restaurant has yellow walls, blue booth seating, and decorative flower wreaths.

Close-up of a layered chocolate and caramel bar with a textured surface.

The Cobequid Food Security Network’s mobile kitchen provides the unique opportunity of bringing our cooking projects into the community. We can set up a mini-kitchen in almost any location, allowing us to host events and partner with a variety of businesses and organizations.

Building Futures

Multiple small plastic containers filled with a layered dessert, possibly tiramisu, showing a creamy top layer with dark specks and a layered bottom, stacked in rows.

Close-up of a horizontal striped fabric with black, red, and gold colors.

In collaboration with Building Futures, we host a Soup Social with participants on the Building Futures waitlist. This fills our Beaver Bank soup freezer while providing meaningful community and skill-building for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

A digital illustration of a snake coiled around a stick in a cartoon style.

Our amazing partners

The Cobequid Food Security Network could not make the impact it does without the help of a variety of organizations across the region.

Food Program Members

A pie chart with various sections labeled, predominantly in red, with some sections in yellow, purple, and blue, illustrating data in a circular format.

A black square with a white cross centered on it.

A blurry, pixelated image of a person wearing a dark shirt, with no discernible details.

Color-coded heat map with a target icon in the top left corner.

A blue shield with a torn top and the letters 'OSD' at the bottom, featuring a stylized lion in the center.

A black silhouette of a hat, a pair of sunglasses, a mustache, and a bow tie arranged on a white background.

Food Navigators and Supporters

Countless community members, and past and present HRM Councilors

Close-up of a decorative item with horizontal stripes in brown, red, and gold colors.

Group of five people working together in a commercial kitchen, preparing and packing food containers, with a range, refrigerator, and kitchen equipment in the background.

The people who make it all work…

The Cobequid Food Security Network is made possible by an incredible group of volunteers, and staff.

Meet our team

Amy thrives at working with people, finding creative solutions, and connecting the community. You’ll often find her hands-on at events, supporting community adventures, and having a blast cooking up soup with volunteers and new friends in Cobequid, bringing extra energy to everything she does.

Amy Patterson

Madeline Dillon

Elyse Hatt

A lifelong Sackville resident, Heather brings 30+ years of nonprofit experience across Nova Scotia and Ottawa. With degrees in Home Economics and Adult Education from MSVU, she’s been with Sackville Heights Community Centre since 2015 and is proud to support the CFN.

Heather Coffin

Domenic Padula

Alice coordinates Sackville Bedford Meals on Wheels, helping seniors stay in their homes with nutritious meals. Following in her mother’s footsteps, she finds purpose and joy supporting her community after retiring from Nova Scotia Health.