Update** The library functioned for 5 months before being shut down from complaints. Thank you to everyone who supported this project. if you would like to donate to the health access fund to support community memembers in accessing acupuncture please be in touch.
As a health care practitioner I am always thinking about ways to make health care accessible to all community members. I am often considering the intersections of who does or does not access care and why. The opioid crisis, covid pandemic and ongoing injustices within Black and Indigenous communities across Turtle Island have highlighted many social disparities. Specifically financial, food and health inequity that I believe we can start to address at a community level.
In response, I am piloting a free community supported wellness library outside my practice at 1921 Fernwood Road. It will function similar to the free book libraries around town. A self standing, unattended structure, where folks can donate and/or receive free wellness supplies such as: herbal medicines, fresh & non-perishable foods, vitamins/supplements, zines & wellness literature, plants & seeds, harm reduction supplies, & small tokens of joy.
Knowing that health access is both a structural and community centred problem, intersecting with trauma, racism, poverty, ability, sex, class and existing health status, at least half of the shelves will be reserved specifically for BIPOC & underserved folks in our community.
Having a self serve access point allows people to access free support, on their own terms, no questions asked, or uncomfortable spaces to navigate. Removing both financial and social barriers to meeting their needs. It also allows community members to make contributions as they see fit.
Who Is This For?
Anyone and everyone is welcome to access free supplies at any time that suits them. While we establish steady contribution streams I ask that if you have financial means to please make a donation back (either add an item to the library or make a financial donation here) in a spirit of reciprocity, so that we can keep a healthy stock for those who cannot pay at this time. The goal is to establish enough streams (through business & individual donations) to make it sustainably free for all.
How It works
Take a product leave a product
Take a product and donate here
Access for free when in need and know that the community is here to support you
Make a donation or become a monthly donor of medicines/supplies/food/money
**Guidelines for Donating Products : Please only donate un-opened products in original packaging. If you are a medicine maker and/or DIY contributor please make sure ingredients and directions for use are well marked and “self seal” with tape or similar.
What Is In The Wellness Library?
Fresh or dried medicinal and culinary herbs
Individually sealed herbal tea bags, boxes of tea
Tinctures & oxymels (nervous system support, immune, heart & grief support especially needed at this time)
Body care supplies
Harm reduction supplies & naloxone kits
Herbal salves, creams, lotions, oils
Fresh & non perishable foods, bottled water and hydration
Zines and small print literature (no books please)
Seeds and plant starts, cuttings and grafts
Small tokens of joy - pins, stickers, poems, candles, diy arts & crafts
Values
This project is started with these values in mind and hopes to promote awareness and contemplation of how we as individuals can build a kinder world.
Mutual Aid & Community Care
Healing Justice
Harm Reduction
Building Health Sovereignty
Human Centred Capitalism
Long Term Goals
To establish steady donation and user streams, building flourishing and resilient community care and mutual aid networks.
To prioritize the voices, medicines and services of BIPOC medicine makers & healers in our community. To establish monthly donation streams to pay medicine makers for contributions and highlight their businesses/services.
To apply food recovery models to glean health products from commercial businesses in our community, reallocating care supplies and reducing product waste.
To inspire other communities to establish similar initiatives. Expanding the many free libraries to include food and medicines for their people.