Kelsey Watson
VFR: Kelsey, tell us about yourself! What were you up to before joining the VFR team in the fall?
KW: Before joining VFR in the fall, I was finishing graduate school at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) in Sustainable Food Systems & Security. At KPU, I also worked as a Research Assistant, assisting with a feasibility study of the potential for increased soil-based food production on Bowen Island.
VFR: In your work, academic training, and volunteer roles, "food" shows up as through line in much of your life. What draws you to this area? And what motivated you to become involved in the nonprofit sector?
KW: Food really is a theme in my life – I love how food is something that brings us together, along with the memories and nostalgia that are associated with food.
While I have worked in many areas of Vancouver's food system, from restaurants to grocery to food production, I was drawn to the nonprofit sector because of the direct impact food recovery organizations like VFR have in shaping Vancouver's food system. It's been really rewarding to be part of the VFR team!
VFR: Since joining the VFR team, what has surprised you the most about the "world of food recovery"?
KW: What has really surprised me is just how much food gets wasted in our food system – Every. Single. Day. Like others, I had seen the stats that 58% of food produced gets wasted, while 32% could be recovered in Canada. But those are just numbers that are sometimes hard to fully grasp. Seeing first-hand the pallets of food that are being donated every day by our amazing food donors, instead of being wasted, is a real eye-opener. And the food that is being donated is just the tip of the iceberg...
VFR: What are some of your favourite things to do in BC? Please share about a place that's special to you and an activity that you like to do here, as we are so grateful to live, work, and learn on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples.
KW: My happy place is the ocean, so I love going to Tofino to surf when I can. I also enjoy staying local and going to the beach to kayak and go paddle boarding around Bowen Island. I grew up on Bowen Island (Nex̱wlélex̱m), so it will always be a special place for me – I try to go back there as much as possible.
VFR: Let's talk about food! Please share about some of your favourite places to grab a bite to eat in Vancouver.
KW: Mmm…Yes, let's talk food (my favourite topic)! I'm vegetarian and am always looking for great plant-forward places to eat. My absolute fave place for a special dinner is The Acorn. I also love Harvest Community Foods, The Burrow, Nuba, The Workshop, and Sun Bo Kong (for their vegan dim sum). On my list to try is Khoe at Coho Commissary.
VFR: Let's get to know you better: please share a "fun fact" about yourself.
KW: In my spare time, you're likely to find me gardening. I am the coordinator at my local community garden and love trying to grow new things. This past summer, one of my favourite new veggies that I grew were cucamelons – they are the cutest little cucumbers that look like watermelons.
VFR: The year has just started. What are you looking forward to in your role with VFR this year?
KW: I am really looking forward to connecting more with our wonderful volunteers. Volunteers are the driving force (literally and figuratively!) at Vancouver Food Runners, and we could not do any of our work without them. Thank you, Food Rescue Heroes!
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