History

Loving Spoonful was created in 2008 out of a collaboration between local social justice organizations. Initially focused solely on reclaiming and distributing surplus perishable food, we soon began developing additional programming to fulfill our mandate to increase access to good food.

We were incorporated as a not-for-profit charity in 2011 and steadily began to grow. From an office under the stairs at the Memorial Centre, and a staff of just two, we have since enhanced our capacity, and now operate out of the Kingston Community Health Centre, and employ an entire team of passionate and driven individuals.

Loving Spoonful connects people with good food in Kingston and area through innovative, collaborative programs and outreach. The fundamental principle underlying Loving Spoonful’s work is that all people need good food to thrive. Loving Spoonful recognizes that food is a powerful community builder and engages in partnerships across the region to create social inclusion and a strong local food system.

We partner with various community organizations in Kingston and area, as well as many local growers and producers that support our programs in countless ways. We also have a vast network of committed volunteers that engage in one of our many programs.

All of Loving Spoonful’s programs aim to enhance access, build connection, promote education, and foster resilience. Our four program pillars include Local Food Access, Urban Agriculture & Gardens, Community Kitchens, and The GROW Project.

Although we have grown tremendously over the years, we still respect the grassroots nature of this organization and its deep threads connected to social justice. Loving Spoonful recognizes poverty as the primary barrier to accessing good food and renounces the continuation of poverty in Canada. Loving Spoonful promotes, supports, and champions programs and policy change that realizes social, environmental, and economic justice.

From Susan Belyea, founding Executive Director:

“The Kingston cooperative food initiative received a grant back in 2008. They hired me part time to see what could happen to advance food security initiatives in Kingston. And we had an advisory board, and none of us loved the name or the unpronounceable acronym. 

Brainstorming something that would be memorable and have a Kingston connection, we came up with Loving Spoonful. How is there a Kingston connection you ask? Well, Zalman (zal) Yanovsky, founder of Chez Piggy restaurant back in 1979 was the singer and guitar player for the 1964 rock band the Lovin’ Spoonful. Zal was much beloved and Kingston, and through the restaurant he did a lot of work raising money and awareness for a number of social justice causes including food security organizations.

Zal died in 2002. Before finalizing our decision on the name, I consulted with Zoe, Yanovsky, Zal’s daughter, and current owner of Chez Piggy and Pan Chancho to see what she thought about it. She thought it was a nice fit and that Zal would’ve liked it. So. 

While there is no formal connection to the band, the name is meant to evoke something like the passion that Zal demonstrated in being a little bit larger than life and advancing social justice causes in Kingston and elsewhere.”