Across Toronto community-led groups are doing the vital work of supporting their communities with food in the face of some of the worst food insecurity in our city’s history.
Read on to learn about four incredible initiatives:
Afri-Can FoodBasket
Since 1997, Afri-Can FoodBasket has been providing leadership in urban agriculture and fostering collaboration to advance food justice, health and social enterprise in the African Canadian Community.
Through a variety of integrated, holistic programs, Afri-Can FoodBasket addresses youth unemployment and encourages youth leadership through cross-generational, cross-cultural collaboration.
In response to the impact COVID-19 had on the community, Afri-Can FoodBasket launched BlackFoodToronto, an emergency food support program providing fresh, culturally sensitive food to members of the Black community in Toronto.
Since launching, BlackFoodToronto has served over 20,000 households, and delivers 300-500 food baskets directly to homes every week.
Learn more about Afri-Can FoodBasket and support their work by making a donation.
Dashmaawaan Bemaadzinjin
Launched in June of 2020, Dashmaawaan Bemaadzinjin (They Feed the People) have provided fresh, traditional Indigenous foods to local Elders and Indigenous folks that are houseless and living in the encampments in Toronto.
They have provided hundreds of meals and food baskets each week to the community, made by a group of Indigenous women, with the support of community donations. And they continue to push for more supports for Indigenous-led food soverignty work.
As they prepare for winter and the next few months of meals and feast foods, we are asking friends, family and community members to help support the continuation of this important work.
Learn more about Dashmaawaan Bemaadzinjin by following them on Instagram. Support their work by making a donation to their GoFundMe.
Uplift Kitchen
Uplift Kitchen is a food security initiative created to serve Black, Indigenous, and other racialized communities in Toronto and surrounding areas. During this time of global unrest, they want to serve these communities who have been affected by the pandemic and that are also suffering at the hands of systemic and overt racism. Uplift provides food deliveries to folks across Toronto, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Brampton, and Scarborough.
Learn more about Uplift Kitchen and support their work by making a donation.
Birchmount Community Action Council
Birchmount Community Action Council (BCAC), in partnership with the Youth Action Network and Toronto Community Housing Corporation, promote healthy development of residents to ensure safe and healthy interactions between youth, their families, and their environment. They strive to reduce experiences of isolation within marginalized communities in west Scarborough through social activism, capacity building and knowledge sharing of community resources.
Learn more about Birchmount Community Action Council and how to support their work.
Don’t think community should be left to solve the crisis of food security in Toronto?
Sign the petition to realize our right to food and email your City representatives to demand A FOOD CHARTER FOR ALL OF US.