Project Evaluation and Data Collection Support-Island FOod Network

The Island Food Network (IFN), based in Victoria County, Cape Breton, is one of the community partners delivering the province-wide Collaborative Food Network (CFN) program. Launched in April 2025, the CFN initiative supports community-led responses to food insecurity by promoting human dignity, choice, nutrition, adaptability, and efficiency in local food programs.

This project will evaluate IFN’s CFN programming during its first full year of implementation (April 2025 – March 2026). It will explore how IFN’s activities—such as food access initiatives, community meals, and outreach efforts—are helping to reduce food insecurity and build stronger social connections within the community. The project will collect both numbers and stories: how many people participated, how the programs were experienced, and whether they made participants feel included, respected, and supported.

A student intern will work closely with IFN staff and two academic supervisors from Cape Breton University to design and carry out the evaluation. This includes developing simple tools to document ongoing program activities, collecting feedback from participants, and analyzing the impact of the programming. The goal is to help IFN learn from its work, improve future programming, and meet provincial requirements for annual evaluation.

This is the first time the Island Food Network is participating in a formal evaluation of its CFN programming, but it builds on lessons learned from similar evaluations previously conducted in other Nova Scotia communities, including Glace Bay and Eskasoni.

Faculty Supervisor:

Maya Giorbelidze;Bishakha Mazumdar

Student:

Partner:

Island Food Network

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

Cape Breton University

Program: