Toronto implements emergency food access for vulnerable residents
Six Toronto Public Libraries now open as food banks
TORONTO, ON., April 7, 2020 – Working closely with community and corporate partners to ensure that the food needs of vulnerable Torontonians are being met during the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Toronto has opened Six new food banks at Toronto Library locations. The first location opened on March 25 in partnership with the North York Harvest Food Bank. Three opened this past week in partnership with the Daily Bread Food Bank. Eventually, nine locations will be open. The City is also facilitating food banks in Toronto Community Housing buildings for tenants and in specific community centres where possible.
Working with Toronto agencies
The City is working with 211, United Way Greater Toronto, and other Toronto agencies to identify where the greatest needs are and how best to ensure low-income and vulnerable residents continue to have food access.
“We are doing everything we can as a municipal government to help residents during these tough times,” said Mayor John Tory. “That includes making sure vulnerable residents have emergency food access. These generous and much needed donations, coupled with the City’s ongoing efforts to improve access to food with its community food program partners, will immediately help thousands of Toronto residents and their families.”
City is Working with corporate partners
Yesterday, Mayor John Tory announced that corporate partners have stepped up with significant contributions to help ensure that community food programs in Toronto – including food banks, multi-service centres, home delivery programs, meal drop-ins – can continue. Sobeys Inc. has donated approximately 7,030 cases of food and Loblaw Companies Limited has provided $30,000 of food credit. Kraft Heinz Canada has donated more than 3,650 cases of baby food, with additional quantities anticipated soon.
Due to the COVID-19 response, many people are unable to leave their homes and face financial hardship, and many of the community supports they regularly use have closed or altered their services in keeping with recommended public health measures. As more than 40 per cent of food bank programs have closed during this crisis, the food programs continuing to operate are under immense pressure to meet the increased demand.
Second Harvest, Daily Bread, The Salvation Army and other community partners
The City is working with several community programs to address food access, including Second Harvest, Daily Bread Food Bank, North York Harvest Food Bank, Red Cross, and the Salvation Army. Led by the City, this group is focused on identifying ways to keep existing food programs open and to fill the gaps left by the closure of some programs.
“In these unsettling times our most vulnerable are hit the hardest,” says Major Rob Kerr, Divisional Secretary for the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army is maintaining its operations and delivery of services such as Food banks and shelter beds to those struggling. Donations of food and hygiene products are going down as demand goes up.” says Kerr.
The best source for up-to-date information on community food program availability is 211. Program listings are updated daily as information is received from providers. Residents can call 211 directly for information or view a map of local service providers on the 211 website, covid19.211central.ca.
In addition to working with corporate partners to secure donations, the group is actively working on multiple food access programs including:
Food delivery for seniors
Responding to the Province of Ontario’s recommendation for everyone over age 70 to self-isolate, the City is working with Red Cross and other partners to provide food hamper delivery to seniors and others in need who are unable to leave their homes to access food. Beginning tomorrow, April 7, Red Cross will be accepting calls at 1-833-204-9952 for those who require this service. With support from United Way Greater Toronto, this service is made available for qualifying seniors and others that are in self-isolation and do not have alternative access to food through family, friends, or other food delivery services, and are not receiving assistance from another community food program.
Access to food banks
Four new food banks are now open at Toronto Public Library locations, with another two opening on April 7. The first location opened on March 25 in partnership with the North York Harvest Food Bank. Three opened this past week in partnership with the Daily Bread Food Bank. Eventually, nine locations will be open. The City is also facilitating food banks in Toronto Community Housing buildings for tenants and in specific community centres where possible.
Food for kids
The City is working with student nutrition program partners to repurpose resources to support the Food for Kids program, which is getting grocery gift cards to families of children in need.
Indigenous communities
The City is providing support for the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council (TASSC) to coordinate food access for Indigenous communities facing similar challenges created by the COVID-19 response, including increased access to food and financial support.
Providing equipment to community food programs
The City is providing requested equipment to support community food program operators to help maintain operations and serve residents. To date, the City has provided City fork lift operators to Daily Bread Food Bank to assist with warehouse operations and has trucks and drivers on standby to help transport food.
Connecting resources to those that need them
The City is working to connect offers of free services and other resources, such as free hot meals, food delivery, free spaces, and available equipment to agencies and communities that need them.
Residents who are able are encouraged to donate non-perishable food to food banks or drop off food donations at local fire halls. Restaurants or food businesses with surplus food are encouraged to donate to Second Harvest’s FoodRescue.ca at foodrescue.ca. Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to register with volunteertoronto.ca or sparkontario.ca.
with notes from City of Toronto
