Maggie’s Place Cumberland Evaluation

This project aims to evaluate the food security programs delivered by Maggie’s Place Cumberland as part of the Cumberland County Collaborative Food Network (CFN) initiative. Maggie’s Place, a trusted family resource centre serving communities across the region, is the backbone organization for the CFN in Cumberland County. Building on two years of CFN-funded activities, this evaluation will assess programming outcomes from April 2025 to March 2026, focusing on how these initiatives address food insecurity, support social inclusion, and promote dignity and choice for participants.
Since launching the CFN in 2023, Maggie’s Place has supported and facilitated a wide array of initiatives including the Maggie’s Place Free Store and Social Food Pantry, community cooking workshops, seasonal food kits, Seedy Saturdays, youth meal programs, community gardens, and monthly community suppers in Amherst and Wentworth. These programs are delivered in collaboration with numerous community organizations and partners across a geographically large and rural county.

The evaluation will assess both the reach and impact of CFN-funded programming by collecting quantitative data (e.g., number of meals served, food kits distributed, demographics reached) and qualitative insights (e.g., participant experiences, barriers encountered, and community perceptions). It will also explore how CFN activities help reduce stigma, build social connections, and respond to community-identified needs, especially among rural residents, families with young children, and populations experiencing systemic barriers.

A key objective of this project is to strengthen Maggie’s Place’s capacity for ongoing monitoring and learning. The intern will work closely with the CFN Coordinator and program staff to improve data collection and feedback tools—such as post-activity surveys, tracking templates, and interview guides—ensuring they are practical, inclusive, and responsive to community needs. These tools will support routine evaluation and inform real-time program adjustments while improving reporting to the province and community partners.

Faculty Supervisor:

Maya Giorbelidze

Student:

Partner:

Maggie’s Place Cumberland

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

Cape Breton University

Program: