“When I started my job here two years ago, we did a needs assessment for the community and we found that the needs of young people are high. Of course, we work to promote healthy living for all age groups, but we think we can have the greatest impact over the long term if we get positive, healthy messages out to young adults, youth and children in the community.”

The Hobbema community includes the town of Hobbema and nearby reserve lands held by four Maskwacis Cree First Nations in the area, including the Louis Bull First Nation, the Ermineskin Cree First Nation, the Samson Cree First Nation and the Montana First Nation. The wider community also includes members who live about 40 kilometres west of Hobbema, near Pigeon Lake, on reserve land that is commonly held by the four First Nations.

Flormann-Dion is one of nine community health promoters working in First Nations communities around Alberta, under the banner of the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative, as coordinated in Alberta by Health Canada’s First Nations and Inuit Health division.

The community health promoters are tasked with assessing the health-related needs of the communities they work in. Some communities have more active living or fitness initiatives, while others have more nutrition-related programs.

The Good Food Box is a Popular Program
One effort that is popular with all age groups is the Good Food Box program run by Maskwacis Health Services, which offers healthy food to First Nations community members at a very low cost.

“For $20, we fill a small box or a sturdy recycled bag with healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables and whole grain products,” explains Flormann-Dion. “We are promoting healthy eating to everyone, but diabetes prevention and education is also a main goal.”

The Good Food Box program can make a real difference in eating habits and the quality of life for many people, suggests Flormann-Dion. “There are quite a few people – young and old – who have said they are getting away from eating potato chips and drinking pop, and learning to enjoy the vegetables and fruits we include in the boxes. This is a good sign that people of all ages are catching on.”

She adds, “The feedback we get from many recipients is that they appreciate the nutritional value of the food, especially if they have dietary conditions or diabetes.”

Young working families are among those who benefit most from the program, notes Flormann-Dion. “It’s often those who are working at low wage levels or who are under-employed or only working part-time that find it hard to keep up with monthly food costs.”

She adds, “Normally, if someone went on their own to the closest major food outlet in Wetaskiwin, they would have to spend up to $35 for the same amount of food that they get in one of our $20 boxes. With our program, they save on food costs, travel time and transportation costs. We keep our food costs low by buying in bulk.”

Another way to educate food box customers about nutrition and healthy eating is to include basic recipes with each bag or box. This can help people to get the most value out of the food they have purchased, suggests Flormann-Dion.

Healthy Initiatives for All
In addition to the Good Food Box initiative, Flormann-Dion notes that weekly health meetings are offered to the Hobbema community, on a variety of topics related to healthy eating or active living.

“We try to choose guest speakers from within the First Nations communities who can serve as positive role models. One of the core messages we try to deliver is that health is not just about ‘not being sick’, it’s about taking the time to think about what healthy eating and active living is all about.”

Some of the other health-related initiatives promoted in the last year or two by Maskwacis Health Services include:

• community  “container” gardens, where community members are encouraged and taught how to grow vegetables and fruits in small containers
• advising on the nutritional value/content of lunches provided by some schools within the community
• purchase of physical activity kits for use at Ermineskin School
• a free clothing day held three or four times a year, which also features a hot lunch service

“Many of our efforts are related to community building, which contributes to the overall health of people in the community,” explains Flormann-Dion. “The free clothing program is popular because people get together and talk, and generally it turns into a social occasion. The healthy, hot lunch is one more way for us to deliver healthy eating messages.”

The clothing service is offered three or four times a year, when clothing needs are greatest, such as the beginning of the school year for school clothing, in early or mid-winter for winter clothing, and in spring for spring and summer wear. 

“The container gardens were pretty successful because it was educational, nutritious and helped to build a sense of community among those who participated,” says Flormann-Dion. “For example, many of the participants would often talk to each other on the phone or via Facebook and let each other know what vegetable or fruit was coming up this week, whether lettuce or strawberries, or something else.”

Keeping Traditions Alive is Part of Healthy Living
Flormann-Dion notes that keeping traditions alive is also a vital part of healthy living in First Nations communities. For example, the knowledge and friendliness of respected Elders is tapped by holding such events as “berry walks” where young and old can walk together on the land, visit favourite locations for berry picking, and learn from Elders about the different berries and best time to pick them.

“One of our best-liked events was when we had an Elder skin a buffalo in front of a junior high school,” reports Flormann-Dion. “This was first planned only for the students, but it turned into a community event that had great meaning for everyone. Now, there is a buffalo rug kept in the school’s lobby which reminds everyone of that special day.”