Food Security Program

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Our Settlement and Integration Programs include the Food Security program, an initiative implemented since our origins and intensified with the complex and increasing demands during the COVID-19 pandemic. At FCJ Refugee Centre, we strongly believe in the importance of food security and sustainability.

Vulnerable populations experience high levels of food insecurity and multiple forms of malnutrition. We see this at an alarming rate with the people we support weekly through our Food Security program, especially older adults, women and children.

We currently deliver approximately 300 food hampers monthly and the list keeps growing.

People without status are among the most vulnerable and marginalized in our society and are also more likely to suffer from hunger and food insecurity. Therefore, at FCJ, supporting undocumented and precarious immigrants for equitable access to food security is a priority considering that food security is a universal human right.

Objective

The primary goal of the food security program is to provide access to nutritious food to refugee claimants and families, and to people with precarious status, to alleviate one of the fundamental rights, and to support their settlement and integration into their new home.

Components

  • Food Collection and Distribution. FCJ Refugee Centre has Second Harvest as its main provider, we also collect donations of perishable and non-perishable food from various sources, including individuals, grocery stores and restaurants. These items are then sorted, stored, and distributed to our food security program clients.
  • Partner Agencies. Some other organizations and stores that often collaborate with us are United Way, No Frills, What a Bagel, Not Far From the Tree… And we are working to be able to have more collaboration with other stores and organizations.
  • Nutritional Education. One of the projections we have is to offer nutritional education programs to teach clients how to make healthy decisions with the foods they receive. This involves providing written information to our clients.
  • Advocacy. From the food security program we advocate for policies at the local, provincial and federal levels to address the root causes of food insecurity and hunger, to eradicate the problem and advocate for systemic change.
  • Volunteer Commitment. Volunteers play a fundamental role in the operation of the Food Security program. They help with the sorting, distribution and administrative tasks of food.
  • Sustainability and Impact. With this food security program we want to focus not only on immediate hunger relief but also on addressing the underlying causes of food insecurity, coordinating with other organizations, promoting food purchasing options, and advocating for our customers and creating long-term sustainable solutions.
  • Measurement and Evaluation. To assess their impact, food bank programs typically collect data on the number of people served, the types and quantities of food distributed, and the effectiveness of their outreach and educational efforts. This information helps them refine their strategies and make improvements.

In summary, a community food bank program is a multifaceted initiative that strives to combat hunger and food insecurity by collecting, distributing, and advocating for access to nutritious food. It plays a crucial role in supporting vulnerable individuals and families within a community while also working toward systemic change to address the root causes of food insecurity.


Food Banks Interactive Map of the Greater Toronto Area

  • You can zoom the map and click on the markers for addresses and contact information.
  • A green marker means that the food bank accepts clients who are in the refugee process or with precarious status.
  • This map is a work in progress. We’ll keep adding new food banks and updating the information.

See full screen


Donate

We need your help to promote food security in our community. Every donation counts.

You can leave your food donation at our offices during business hours, or at our drop –off bins in No Frills.

Non-Perishable food items can include (but are not limited to)

  • Canned meat soup/ chicken, chowder, beef stew etc.
  • Canned tuna
  • Canned beans (chickpeas, black beans, etc.)
  • Canned fruits & vegetables
  • Canned chili
  • Pasta and pasta sauce
  • Cereal
  • Rice
  • Dry beans
  • Snacks (chips, cookies and granola bars)
  • Coffee
  • Juice
  • Oatmeal
  • Peanut butter
  • Lentils
  • Cooking oil
  • Dried herbs & spices
  • Sugar
  • Barley and quinoa

We also accept hygiene products like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes and Diapers for kids etc.