Partner Spotlight Northern Health Food Action Authority Rural, Remote, and Indigenous (RRI) communities in northern BC have been impacted in many unique Northern Health Authority (Northern Health) is one ways by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, of our many valued partners. At the Foundation, and climate-related events. During the pandemic, it we believe in fostering youth mental health and became clear that RRI communities are vulnerable working toward Truth and Reconciliation — two to food insecurity. Northern Health collaborated important priorities shared in the Northern Health with the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) region. to create the Rural, Remote, and Indigenous Food Action Grant. This grant was developed to support Food and Nutrition community food action across northern BC with the goal of promoting food security and Indigenous Literacy food sovereignty within the region, and to support sustainable, long-term food-based projects in RRI communities. Our Foundation helped bolster We were privileged to partner with our friends this program by adding to their funding, allowing at Northern Health to support the creation of Northern Health to support even more important an evidence-informed nutrition curriculum tool food action initiatives in their region. for high school educators that supports positive In 2023, nine programs, with impact in at least and culturally-inclusive approaches to nutrition 18 Indigenous communities, were supported with education. The new curriculum tool also protects RRI Food Action Grants. For example, both the against risk factors for disordered eating among Saik’uz First Nation and Tea Creek, an Indigenous- youth by discouraging the promotion of unsafe led, culturally safe, land-based Indigenous food dieting behaviours. This work is supporting sovereignty and trades training educators in the Northern Health region by initiative, received funding providing quality, safe, and positive food and to support the purchase nutrition education approaches for youth. of farming machinery. “We’re incredibly grateful to Paci昀椀c Public Health Foundation for supporting programs in the Northern Health region that have an immediate and lasting impact on the health of the many diverse communities that we serve. We have already accomplished great things together with our aligned goals of Truth and Reconciliation, fostering youth mental health, and addressing the consequences of the climate crisis, and look forward to further collaboration on programs that will advance equity and improve well-being for all those who live in Northern BC.” — Dr Jong Kim, Chief Medical Health O昀케cer, Northern Health 13