National Cohorts
Visionary health care leaders dedicated to transforming food and health systems across community, institutional, and policy scales, in the national Nourish cohorts.
Planting Seeds for Food Innovation and Transformation in Health Care
Through three national cohorts of collaborative learning, innovative projects, and shared resources, innovators and bold teams drove change where food and health systems intersect. Nourish supported cohorts with coaching, mentorship, and training around Western and Indigenous approaches to systems thinking and innovation.
Changemakers Across the Country, Acting Together
Cohort members led projects that wove sustainability, equity, and well-being to drive systemic change in food and health systems. After three cycles, Nourish cohort members continue to innovate, learn from each other, and scale change around the power of food for health.
“Nourish has changed me as a leader helping me to connect the dots between food and health. It’s not just about delivering health care services; it’s about amplifying our impact for our communities, embracing Reconciliation, and caring for our planet. This is the bigger purpose we must all work toward.”
Andrew Will, CEO, Saskatchewan Health Authority
Third Cohort: 2023 – 2025
Nourish’s third national cohort worked locally and nationally on projects that activated community assets to find innovative food for health solutions. These teams represent the future of food in health care: powerful partnerships with high commitment and the ability to shift policy, practices, and outcomes.
Learn more about these teams’ work:
Team BC Lower Mainland: A Journey Continued
Team London: Harvesting Hope for a Healthier World
Team Newfoundland & Labrador: Our Journey: Integrating Country Food into Health Care in Newfoundland and Labrador
Team Six Nations: Ogyǫhsraniyǫ́hsdǫh: Growing Partnerships for Food Sovereignty and Sustainability in Six Nations
Team Toronto: From Small Steps to Big Change: Our Journey for Planetary Health
Second Cohort: 2021 – 2023
Nourish’s second national cohort unlocked the power of food in their communities to address the upstream social and ecological determinants of health. Five place-based teams mapped and explored complex challenges at the intersection of well-being, climate change, Truth and Reconciliation, and health equity.
Learn more about these cohort teams:
Team Labrador: Reconciliation in Action with Country Foods
Team London: Health Care Climate Leadership from the Ground Up
Team Northern Ontario: A Transformed Approach, Defined by Place
Team Saskatchewan: Food Sovereignty and Security in Partnership
Team Vancouver: Revamping Food for Planetary Health
▶ Watch Signals of Change for how members of Nourish’s Second Anchor Cohort on successes leveraging the power of food in health care to heal.
Food has the power to heal, connect, and nourish
The Vancouver team in the second national Nourish cohort led the first hospital-wide plant-forward menu pilot in Canada.
First Cohort: 2016 -2019
Nourish’s first national cohort of 26 Innovators led projects at their organizations from 2016 to 2019 to address one or more themes of food for health. The foundation they built envisaged a future where food is valued as fundamental to health and healing. They led five national collaborative projects centred on strategic opportunities and key leverage points.
▶ Watch as members of Nourish’s first Innovator Cohort share their insights and aspirations for the future of food in health care.
Knowledge Hub
Perspective/Stories
Nourishing Conditions for Change: In Conversation with Team London (Anchor Cohort 3)
Perspective/Stories
Inspiration & Progress from the Third Nourish Anchor Cohort Teams
Tools
Transforming patient experience and reducing food waste through room service
Webinar
