Rural Road Trip with purpose
Join us for a 1- Day Immersive Experience Monday, May 26th
The Rural Road Trip is a one-of-a-kind exploration of Nova Scotia’s thriving social impact ecosystem, highlighting how rural communities are driving innovative change. This immersive experience will connect leaders, changemakers, and funders with the real stories and successes behind local entrepreneurs.
Set against the stunning backdrop of Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, this experience will explore how social enterprises are fostering sustainable growth and community resilience.
This Immersive Journey will provide a guided tour featuring stops at:
The Station Food Hub – Empowering local food producers and fostering sustainable agriculture.
Just Us Coffee - A fair trade co-operative
Benjamin Bridge Winery– A B-Corp certified leader in sustainable winemaking and rural economic development.
Acadia University - networking mixer and panel discussion.
Leaving Halifax at 9:30am, the tour will travel to the Annapolis Valley via chartered bus, and return to Halifax by 9:00pm the same evening.
Along the way, you’ll enjoy a delicious locally sourced lunch and a seated dinner prepared by a student-led business, making the experience not only impactful, but genuinely enjoyable.
Join us a full-sensory journey, with people doing meaningful work in the community. Tickets available in advance via Eventbrite.
Stop 1: Windsor, NS
Tour & Session: Sustainable Food Systems, Social Enterprise
The Station Food Hub Company
The Station Food Hub Company, a social purpose led business located in Newport Station, Nova Scotia, is the combination of two distinct businesses: one focuses on value-added upcycled food products and distribution, and the other supports local food businesses through space rental, storage facilities and product development.
The business was born from a lot of questions about food. Why do we have to import basic foods that we grow locally? Why do we export our raw foods only to purchase them back once they have been turned into products? Why are we not processing more of our own food here and creating jobs for Nova Scotians?
Impact Canada’s Food Waste Reduction Challenge has recognized our business model as an innovation solution by choosing us as a finalist for the 2023 prize. By using innovative thinking around food waste we are increasing food availability, saving consumers and businesses money, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and in the process strengthening our food system.
Stop 2: Grand Pre, NS
Tour & Discussion: Fair Trade & Co-Operative Models
Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-Op
Since 1995, Just Us! has proudly operated as a 100% Canadian worker-owned co-op, inspired by the producer co-ops we partner with around the world. Our democratic model means that everyone who works with us—from baristas to administrators—can become a member-owner, shaping our decisions and ensuring we remain committed to the community, the land, and our purposeful work. Together, we’ve built a platform for positive change—one that contributes to social and environmental justice while generating income for our workers and staying true to our cooperative roots.
Sustainability has been at the core of Just Us! since the beginning. By supporting regenerative organic agriculture and paying fair prices for ingredients, we share responsibility with small-scale farmers in the Global South, enabling them to care for their families, nurture their communities, and steward the lands that sustain them.
Stop 3: Gaspereau, NS
Tour & Open-Air Session: Rural Economic Development
Benjamin Bridge Winery
Benjamin Bridge is dedicated to integrating sustainability into our daily operations, and weaving it into the fabric of everyday life. This involves a combination of immediate adjustments, long-term planning, continuous improvement, and open communication with team members and the community.
As a purpose-driven agri-business, our guiding promises are:
to shine a spotlight on Nova Scotia and contribute to the sustainable future of its rural communities, to grow high-quality wines and craft artisan products that push continually push boundaries, to craft extraordinary experiences that are warm and welcoming to all, and to create a sustainable, equitable, and responsible farm winery.
Stop 4: Wolfville, NS
Panel Discussion & Networking Mixer
Navigating Turbulent Times: Prioritizing Impact in a Changing world
Located in the beautiful K.C Irving Centre on Acadia University's campus, attend an engaging panel discussion exploring community impact, student entrepreneurship and rural innovation with moderator Chelsey MacNeil, CEO of The Purposeful Group.
This event is for anyone working to make things better—whether you’re leading a nonprofit, running a business, studying at university, or supporting people on the ground. It’s a chance to step back, share what’s working (and what’s not), and figure out what we can do together to make real progress—socially, economically, and environmentally.
Includes a networking reception with local food and cash bar.
This event is designed to be interactive, engaging, and inspiring, providing opportunities for deep conversations, collaborative learning, and a beautifully curated tour of the Annapolis Valley.
Whether you're a funder, policymaker, educator, or entrepreneur, this is your chance to get to know rural leaders up close, understand their ecosystems, and explore ways to support their work.
Tickets are $300+tax and include lunch, supper, and return transportation from Halifax, NS by chartered bus.
Hosted by The Purposeful Group