Indigenous Community Action

Through our Indigenous Community Action work, FoodShare supports Indigenous communities and reinforces our commitment to mending relations with Indigenous peoples.

There are four main focus areas to this work:

Direct Support

Through micro-granting and the provision of gift cards, FoodShare’s Indigenous Community Action Coordinator has helped support various Indigenous-led food initiatives across Toronto, including the following:

• Indigenous Seniors Helping Seniors food pantry
• Native Child and Family Services (Mount Dennis)
• Malvern Aboriginal Child & Family Centre
• ENAGB Youth Drop-In (East End)

Building Connections

The Indigenous Community Action Coordinator at FoodShare has developed a land-based network in Toronto, helping to connect organizations doing similar work around Indigenous food sovereignty, enabling members to share knowledge, resources and opportunities.

Facilitated in partnership with the Indigenous Affairs Office at the City of Toronto, the network holds regular visioning sessions and shares funding opportunities. FoodShare also provides trusteeing and members can become part of FoodShare’s Supportive Partnership Platform, helping to reduce barriers and build capacity.

Organizational Leadership

We take direction from an Indigenous Advisory Circle to help guide FoodShare’s work on reconciliation, Indigenous food sovereignty, and Indigenous food access work as well as broader organizational issues as they relate to Indigenous communities, food systems, and justice.

The Indigenous Advisory Circle members are invited through recommendations by current members, and membership includes Indigenous staff at FoodShare who contribute insights from within the organization.

The Indigenous Advisory Circle values diverse perspectives and lived experiences, and seeks to reflect the diversity of Indigenous communities.

Mending Relations

At FoodShare, we believe it is crucial to live our values, which is why we are committed to ongoing internal work around mending relations with Indigenous peoples.

We have several trainings around Indigenous culture and history, including the Bear Standing Tall Cultural Sensitivity Training and Black & Indigenous Solidarity Training which are required for all FoodShare staff.

We are also working on a Mending Relations Action Plan, which we’ll share more about when available.