Food Security Programming
Food Security Programming
Food Security is a condition in which all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO). However, this is not a reality for many residents in Toronto. Located in the Don Mills-Sheppard community, the ORIOLE FOOD SPACE is a partnership that began in 2013 between WWCC, Flemingdon Health Centre and North York Harvest Food Bank, which promotes direct access to food supports, such as local food banks, community kitchen workshops and community gardens.
Our Food Security project, launched in spring 2017, focuses on the expansion and strengthening of the Oriole Food Space. The core goals of this work are to highlight systemic issues related to food security, increase the community’s access to food programs and create opportunities for resident engagement. This three-year project receives funding from Ontario Trillium Foundation and additional support from the City of Toronto, which ensures its long-term sustainability.
Activities include:
Community kitchens and Food Workshops offer a safe warm space, cooking ingredients, and a trained facilitator to guide the sessions for residents looking to learn about affordable access to healthy food, new ingredients, nutrition, and counter social isolation. In groups of diverse participants, and for five weeks, they make food from scratch, eat together, talk about their cultural food experiences, and take extra food home to share with family.
|
The Oriole Community Garden was established in 2005, and runs in partnership with the Advent Lutheran Church. It provides 147 garden plots to residents of the Don Mills and Sheppard community, mostly newcomers to Canada, who face some level of food insecurity. Garden’s mission is support them by using community gardens as a tool to reduce social isolation, promote food security, and increase publicly accessible environmental initiatives.
|
Food handling trainings are provided to small entrepreneurs’ residents or community members interested in working in restaurants with an overview of food safety issues, regulations, and techniques to maintain a food-safe environment. In partnership with Toronto Public Health, the OFS offers two trainings per year and those who successfully pass the exam receive a Food Handler Certificate, which is valid for five years in the province of Ontario.
|
Community Food Market is an alternative model to increase available selection of fresher and local fruits and vegetables at prices that are more accessible to residents in the Don Mills-Sheppard area. Running once a month and with an average of 100 individual sales per day, it not only provided healthy accessible produce to low income individuals and families in our community but also created a public space for socialization, volunteerism and connection.
|
The Drop-in meal program provides a free healthy, nutritious meal to residents impacted by food insecurity. It was created in response to an increasing number of people that have no access to a kitchen and/or needed more food support than what the food bank could offer. On the last Saturday of every month, in partnership with the Don Valley Bible Chapel, a group of 10 volunteers serves over 70 meals.
|
Newcomer Cooking Circle looks to provide newcomers/new immigrants living temporally in a hotel or shelter with a kitchen space where they can cook, eat together, connect each other, and learn tips about food system in Canada.
|
Oriole Food Bank looks to engage our communities in meeting their food needs by providing dignified food assistance, education and long-term food solutions. Led by the North York Harvest Food Bank, and as part of the Oriole Food Space, they provide service to food insecure household three times per week.
|
