Groundswell Network Society, Invermere BC
Grant term, 2025-2026
Groundswell Network Society History:
Groundswell’s Greenhouse and Gardens, in Invermere B.C., on Rocky Mountain School District property created in 2008 at the request of David Thompson Secondary School’s Chef Training teacher: Alison Bell. Alison wanted students to learn to grow the food, they are using in their Chef Training classes. Students have classes every year in greenhouse and garden to learn about growing food. Produce is grown at Groundswell for the Foods Program for David Thompson Secondary School high school cafeteria.
Groundswell Offers:
- NEW: School Breakfast Pilot Program: aiming for launch October 2026
- Gardening Programs: student programs, activities, tours: 9 programs
- Locally Grown Produce: vegetables, fruit, herbs: approx: 1,000 lbs produce
- Community Rental Garden beds: 47 beds
- Apple Rescue Program: 2000 lbs gleaned in 2025
- Events: Seedy Sunday, Plant Sale, Harvest Party, Garden of Lights
- Volunteer Program; plant sale prep, harvest produce, greenhouse and garden work, student program, workshops, tours, events…
Student Food Infrastructure Fund (SFIF) Program at Groundswell:
SFIF programs funds have allowed Groundswell to broaden our work providing food to students in the Rocky Mountain School District and teaching them how to garden as a life skill.
Our Student Breakfast Program pilot project launches in October 2026. Groundswell is working with the Rocky Mountain School District, and Columbia Valley Food and Farms, on a comprehensive school meal program. The school district has three large regions, and two regions have started their meal programs this spring. The School District asked Groundswell to wait until October to start our regions pilot program so that we can learn from the other regions. Thanks to the SFIF program funds we have already in place; commercial appliances, fridge, dishwasher, range, vent, shelving, LED lights, greens spinner, various kitchen utensils. Our new fridge was busy all spring supporting getting produce out to the high school, and the community. The freezer is storing produce for use in the fall Student Breakfast Program. We will prepare cooked meals on our new range once we are a licensed commercial kitchen scheduled for September
Groundswell is excited to roll out the Student Breakfast program and support growth into a comprehensive food support program for students. A heart felt thank-you to Farm to Cafeteria for the support you have given Groundswell to pursue this initiative!
“I love Swiss Chard!!” Grade 8 Science student fall 2025
Student Food Literacy Programs 2025/26:
- Produces delivered to high school Chef Training classes for cafeteria lunches
- Groundswell helps J. A. Laird Elementary School to obtain funds to build 10 raised beds, after using 6 of our community beds along with instruction for 3 years.
- 8 classes at greenhouse and gardens for instruction and to rent garden beds in the spring
- David Thompson Secondary School (DTSS) Chef Training 3 classes enjoyed growing their own food, learning to plant and seed in their community garden and tour the greenhouse and gardens.
- DTSS students enjoy baking pizza in our Cobb oven in the spring.
- herbal tea lesson from Shuswap elder engaged students in new herbal tea experiences.
- Two grade eight science classes are experimenting growing a variety of cold weather crops
- The Industrial Arts class built new garden beds over the winter months.
- Tour of gardens and greenhouse by Invermere Daycares; Dragon Fly Day Care and Rocky Mountain Day Care students.
- Rocky Mountain Day Care rented two community gardens this summer and visited 3 times a week for activities in the garden.
- Apples from our Apple Rescue program to the schools in our district.
- 538 students in food literacy programs in spring and fall of 2025/26
