Distance Mentoring in Community Food Security Practices Communities all across British Columbia are dreaming about, researching, planning, and implementing community food security programs. Imagine having a mentor at your fingertips to help with that program development! Building Community Food Security with Bits & Bytes is developing a model of "mentoring from a distance", using a range of print and multi-media vehicles. Sponsored by Interior Health, the Project runs from April 2008 through March 2009, with funding from the Social Development Partnerships Program of Human Resources and Social Development Canada. Interior Health’s proposal was one of fourteen chosen from amongst 147 applications. Bits & Bytes’ focus is to identify effective community food security initiatives and find innovative ways to communicate the "how to". A food secure community relies on a thriving local food production system that provides for community members regardless of their socio-economic status. The Project is working throughout the broad region served by Interior Health. The first phase of the project will identify effective food security initiatives as well as a range of media for capturing and sharing their lessons, tips and strategies. Phase two will see the implementation of these initiatives by the five partner organizations in the Project. The partners are: the North Thompson Valley Food Coalition; South Okanagan Similkameen Food Security; North Okanagan Food Action Coalition; Kootenay Food Strategy Society; and the Cranbrook Food Action Coalition. Bits & Bytes will provide these organizations and their communities with innovative strategies and practices that will enhance local food security. The opportunity to access novel private sector communications technology and adapt it for use by the non-profit sector is exciting. The community food security practices captured by the Project will be preserved and made widely available through partnerships with organizations such as Food Secure Canada and the BC Food Systems Network. Abra Brynne Project Co-ordinator Building Community Food Security with Bits & Bytes ** Note new location & phone number as of June 18th: Nelson, BC Canada 250.352.5342 (GMT - 7) abra(at)peelingtheonion.ca