Searching for Other Food Security Initiatives

Support and financial assistance to schools and or community groups offering

• breakfast and/or snack programs in schools
• fosters parental involvement and community ownership in supported programs

Regional food distribution hub

• supplies perishable, non-perishable foods and non-food items to food banks, shelters, emergency meal programs, the Oshawa soup kitchen, and in-school nutritional programs

Member of Feed Ontario and Food Banks Canada

Program provides

• listing of locations and phone numbers where food is available throughout Durham Region
• Discover your Inner Chef food budget curriculum and food budget kit
• food budgeting information to eat healthy on a limited budget
• food insecurity resources available on website to help organizations support clients experiencing food insecurity

Domestic program -- financial support to child nutrition programs in First Nations communities across Canada

Overseas program -- long term community development in areas of food security, education and capacity building

Green Wood Coalition is a street-level, charitable organization that uses a community model of caring to walk alongside people living with poverty, mental illness, substance dependency and other disability.
Services offered include:

• Individual in-person suport and street outreach
• Creative Arts Programs at Art Hives in Port Hope (4 Centennia Dr) and Cobourg (20A King St E)
• Community Garden (Port Hope only)
• Addiction / Dependency Recovery Support Groups and harm reduction supplies
• Community 101 is an interactive series that explores ways of becoming a more healthy and vibrant community through caring for each other and seeking long-term change.
• Thursday Art Group, held at Grace Church, 2 Centennial Dr, Port Hope. Contact Aimee Johnston, Art Hive Coordinator, aimee.johnston@greenwoodcoalition.com for information.
• Green Wood can help to connect you to: food banks and free meals when they are available, hygiene and harm reduction supplies
• Community meals temporarily on hold

Assistance in developing programs which focus on financial literacy and coaching, helping people with low income to file taxes and access government benefits, improving access for low income people to safe and affordable financial services and helping them to build savings and assets

• consumer protection and education
• also policy development, program management, information exchange, capacity building, public education and research

Benefits wayfinder -- for current information on federal, provincial and territorial benefits, including those related to COVID-19 CLICK HERE

Community programs offering healthy, accessible and sustainable food and related education and assistance

Seeds for Change (Urban Agriculture)

• community gardens
• workshops for growing and processing food, urban agriculture development

Good Food Box -- fresh produce for purchase

Community Breakfast -- drop in to help prepare then enjoy free breakfast with other community members

Community Cooks -- food safety knowledge and skills for food shopping, preparation and storage through hands-on training in commercial kitchen

Volunteer opportunities, information and referral to partnered charities and agencies

Give Back Awards -- cash award to graduating high school students from Aurora, Georgina, King and Newmarket for exceptional contributions to fellow students and citizens and ongoing community involvement

Tree Planting -- coordinates spring tree planting day each spring in Aurora, East Gwilimbury, Georgina, King and Newmarket, partnership with Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority

Fall Food Drive -- volunteer groups are assigned to grocery store and encourage shoppers to donate, donations are distributed to local food banks

Holiday Gift Drive -- collects and distributes holiday gifts to charitable organizations

Resources and food distribution for member food banks in Ontario

• research, publications, advocacy
• Find a Food Bank -- locate a member food bank in your area
• does not provide direct emergency food support -- in Toronto, individuals requiring food support contact Daily Bread Food Bank or North York Harvest Food Bank for referral (see separate entries)

Virtual learning programs for seniors and children, free seniors transportation, food rescue projects in partnership with Second Harvest Food Support Committee

Educate Me
Virtual learning programs, registration required, contact for details on start dates and time

• seniors program for adults 55 years and older, including digital technology and healthy cooking classes
• children's summer math tutoring program for grades 4-5

Seniors Ride Program
For isolated seniors 62 years and older, who require transportation assistance for shopping, banking, medical appointments

• transportation provided by screened volunteers
• call for intake, appointment booking
• in partnership with social groups and churches

Collects and delivers perishable and non-perishable food for community food pantries, agencies, schools, and nonprofit housing cooperatives in York Region

• collects surplus products from food retailers, food manufacturers, food distributors, restaurants, hotels, farmers, the Ontario Association of Food Banks, Food Banks Canada, and individuals across the Greater Toronto Area

Does not distribute food directly to individuals

Poverty reduction foundation, enhanced food security and education for self reliance

Community Development Program ​includes

• The Maple Tree Community Garden
• seasonal Night Market
• Seed Library
• Table Talks

Social Supports Program includes

• information and referrals to services such as housing, income support, and mental health
• brief solution focused counselling
• drop-in sessions (see separate listing)

Women's Services

• referrals to emergency services
• emergency clothing/household items
• assistance with transportation to a shelter

COVID19 -- visit website or call for information

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Services, programs and advocacy to address the problems of food access and hunger

• open to community ideas for use of resources
• member of Daily Bread Food Bank

Drop-in

• community dining
• food bank
• community gardening
• community kitchens, bake oven
• information and referral
• community advocacy
• Healthy Beginnings -- prenatal nutrition and support
• Green Barn -- sustainable food production and education centre
• Farmers Market
• Good Food Market
• in partnership with other agencies, ID clinic, help to find and keep housing, legal service referrals, settlement orientation to the community with information and referral to other services, dietetic counselling
• educational and recreational sessions

Member agency of Toronto Drop-in Network (TDIN)

Distribution warehouse that supplies food to member agencies such as food banks/food cupboards, school breakfast programs and social service agencies.

Programs include:

• open gardens
• virtual cooking classes
• summer lunch programs

Visit website for programs details.

KLFS does not distribute food directly to the public.

Pay what you can grocery store and café

• food reclamation and meals program

COVID-19 -- open, food deliveries only

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• Collects, sorts and distributes food to a network of neighbourhood food programs including food banks, shelters, prenatal programs, meal programs and community kitchens in northern Toronto
• food bank and meal program referrals
• community garden projects
• pick-your-own farm trips
• public education on hunger and poverty issues
• professional development
• volunteer opportunities

Lawrence Heights Community Food Space, Bathurst-Finch Community Food Bank and Oriole Food Space -- see separate entries

COVID19 -- Still delivering paid Good Food Box across the City, boxes can be ordered for a fee at goodfoodbox.foodshare.net

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Community Food Programs -- food justice education for children, youth, adults, seniors and educators

Baby and Toddler Nutrition -- training and information on making healthy homemade baby food from fresh affordable food

Community Food Growing Programs -- information, training and resources, growing food and communities, composting, beekeeping, school gardens

Commercial Kitchen -- fully equipped kitchen for community-based groups and small businesses that do not have access to a commercial kitchen, fee

Bulk Produce -- offering fresh produce and pre-packaged snacks to schools, community groups and businesses, fee

• to set up an account, place an order or learn more email orders@foodshare.net

Good Food Box -- fee

• individuals can order fresh produce boxes and other food items online at
  goodfoodbox.foodshare.net
• agencies looking to order Good Food Boxes in bulk and have them delivered to a central location, email orders@foodshare.net

Good Food Markets -- weekly community run produce market selling affordable and culturally appropriate fruits and vegetables

Solicit, store and distribute food and essential household items from their warehouse through not-for-profit organizations.

• Provide services to a variety of programs who feed and assist those in need in Northumberland County

An anti poverty grassroots organization created to advocate for welfare reform.

• Members include people affected by poverty and their allies
• Organizes and runs social justice and anti-poverty campaigns and forums
• NCAP meets regularly to talk about low-income issues and organize
• Transportation and child care can be arranged if needed
• The group works on low income issues at local, provincial, and national levels

Support the health of individuals, families and communities

Child and Youth Programs - Provide youth with a wide range of social recreational activities that will enable them to be peer leaders, and to enhance their personal and community capacity

EarlyON Child and Family Centre - Free drop-in programs offer children up to the age of six, their parents, and their caregivers an interactive environment where they can participate a wide range of activities

Food Access Programs - Addresses food access and food security issues in the Stonegate community * support the development, implementation and operation of a local community garden, a Good Food Box program, a Good Food Market, a seasonal Farmers' Market, and school based Snack Program * capacity building workshops around food issues also organized throughout the year for community members to attend.

Pre and Post Natal Programs - Pre natal program offer child birth classes and a weekly pre natal nutrition program * post-natal programs offer parenting information, breastfeeding support and encourage healthy eating for women in the first year of their baby's life

Food Assistance and Information and Referral Centre

• referrals to local food banks and meal programs for persons in need of food
• information, referral, advocacy and crisis support related to income supports and government entitlements (such as Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program)
• community services related to housing, legal, mental health, abuse and other issues
• volunteer opportunities

Food Distribution and Coordination

• collects, stores, distributes food to over 130 social service agencies
• supports food programs that provide meals or groceries to people in need across the Greater Toronto Area

Fundraising and Development, Public Education

• public education, research and initiatives on hunger, poverty and reducing need for food bank use
• conducts public food drives
• online food donation via credit card available

New Toronto Street Food Bank -- see separate entry

Assists the community in providing available resources to nutritious local food. Projects include:

Community Garden

• Located at Bradford Lions Park (on Colborn St, Bradford)
• $45 for 4x 6 plot
• Space is limited, call for information

Community Meal

• Program is currently on hold
• Adults wishing to assist with community meal, call for information

Committee of local organizations and community members who work to improve food access for all area residents, especially low income residents. Works toward short-term and long-term plans, and immediate solutions such as meal programs. Also works to address and prevent food insecurity in Peterborough to ensure that everyone in Peterborough has enough healthy food to eat.

• provides short term relief through emergency food programs
• builds individual and community capacity to address food security, mostly through training and education
• supports broad systems and policy changes that result in shared power and equity

Rescues fresh, surplus food and delivers daily, free of charge to community agencies and emergency food programs

• training and education
• volunteer opportunities

Harvest Kitchens -- surplus food prepared by staff and/or volunteers that are packaged and distributed to non-profite organizations who serve meals but do not have the kitchen space or staff to cook meals themselves

FoodRescue.ca -- online platform connecting businesses with surplus food products to non-for-profit agencies with food programs

• advance registration required for both food donors and receivers, form on website
• available throughout Canada
• also information on how to reduce food waste at home

Feeding Our Future -- summer program providing meals in city camps

Does not distribute food to individuals directly, no food distribution at this location