Community Food Centres Canada

This year’s Food Summit was a blast! Over 300 people from 128 community food organizations across the country came together in Toronto to connect, learn, and grow together. Here are the highlights from Day 1 of #FoodSummit24: ✨The two-day event opened with an inspiring keynote address from award-winning placemaker, adjunct urban planning professor and author, Jay Pitter; welcoming words from CEO Nick Saul; and the lighting of a quilliq, a traditional and ceremonial oil lamp, by Inuk Elder Meeka Uniuqsaraq ✨10 informative sessions relevant to everyone involved in community food programming, from chefs to food bank coordinators, gardeners, peer advocates, administrators, volunteer coordinators, program managers, executive directors, and beyond ✨ 6 hands-on workshops that prioritized well-being and creativity, ✨Screenings of “Our Food, Our Future – Indigenous Action for Food Sovereignty” and “Groundwork for Change” ✨Delicious meals by The Food Dudes, Charger Foods, fresh salad greens grown by The New Farm, and tasty granola from ✨ An evening of networking with mouthwatering dosas and kothu roti by Sastha Express Inc, generous donations of thirst quenchers from Junction Craft Brewery and Ace Beverage Group, and lovely tunes by Lower Bay Station We are grateful to BMO, Maple Leaf Foods Inc, Weston Family Foundation, Medavie Blue Cross / Croix Bleue Medavie, Moffat Family Fund at Winnipeg Foundation, and Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. (Home of MadeGood) for supporting Food Summit 2024. Thanks to support from our amazing donors, we were able to welcome many more people who would otherwise not be able to attend due to travel costs. Stay tuned for more highlights from the event! In the meantime, learn more about the Good Food Organization program: https://lnkd.in/gKT2HQuC

Have you heard about the Indigenous Network? There is a growing need for national efforts towards Indigenous food sovereignty. Indigenous people experience disproportionate rates of food insecurity, in large part due to systemic racism, colonialism, and discrimination.  As a non-Indigenous organization, CFCC recognizes our unique role in supporting a wide range of Indigenous-serving programs. We are committed to meeting organizations where they are at, offering diverse program options to foster reconciliation and resurgence. Learn more about the Indigenous Network and the resources available to support food sovereignty: https://lnkd.in/gqCAzNvR

Community Food Centres are welcoming spaces where people can gather together for community meals, participate in hands-on activities, get connected to community resources and so much more. In these bright spaces, people make friends and form bonds. Let us know what you like about your Community Food Centre in the comments! Haven’t had the chance to visit? Read our Welcoming Spaces blog to get a feel for the magic that makes these spaces so special:

We wrapped up #FoodSummit24 with an inspiring visit to two community urban farms in Scarborough, Ontario! Garden coordinators and enthusiasts from community food organizations across the country were blown away by the variety of produce and innovation. We learned what it takes to establish an urban community farm in the vast network of hydro fields running through the city. It was interesting to see culturally relevant foods like callaloo, okra, and hot chilis growing beside strawberries, ground cherries, and aromatic basil. And we were treated to fresh produce which community members shared with us from their farm plots. 📍Malvern Urban Farm 📍Flemo Farm Thank you for hosting us 💚 Special thanks to Eshrat Meshkat Catering for providing us with a delicious shawarma-inspired packed lunch! We are grateful to BMO, Maple Leaf Foods Inc Centre for Food Security, Weston Family Foundation, Medavie Blue Cross / Croix Bleue Medavie, Moffat Family Fund at Winnipeg Foundation, and Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. (Home of MadeGood) for supporting Food Summit 2024. Thanks to support from our amazing donors, we were able to welcome many more people who would otherwise not be able to attend due to travel costs. 📸 Joanne Lawrence

"We’re constantly hearing stories about the stress many are facing daily," writes Anthony Musiwa, Senior Policy Advisor, Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC). "As our partners navigate these challenges with limited resources, CFCC provides core funding and grants to support their programs and food access initiatives. This financial support enables local organizations to continue their essential work. However, rising costs make it increasingly difficult to keep up. While we strive to provide stability and explore new opportunities, the need for a sustainable solution is more pressing than ever." CFCC's Food Security Now tool was developed to equip community food organizations and community members with poverty and food insecurity data so they can advocate for equitable and long-term solutions. With this information at their fingertips, Members of Parliament can tackle the growing issue of food insecurity in a meaningful and impactful way. For the full article, go to: https://lnkd.in/guC9Uqp4 To get data that highlights the poverty, food insecurity, and housing unaffordability in each federal riding in Canada, visit www.foodsecuritynow.ca  Le Dépôt | The Depot Community Food Centre, Hope House

Let’s stay in touch! Sign up for our newsletter and be the first to know what’s happening at Community Food Centres across the country, how you can support food security policies that make a difference, and other exciting news (like say, the launch of a new CFC 🤫). Don’t miss out, sign up today: https://lnkd.in/gZDVqu9M

Continuing with our appreciation train for #FoodSummit24! The two-day conference brought together hundreds of community food organization staff and volunteers to learn, share, and grow. There were moments of advocacy, connection, and delicious food (of course) woven throughout the event. Here are the highlights from Day 2 of #FoodSummit24: 💠Nearly 200 food security advocates joined together to tell Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with their local MPs, to tackle food insecurity 💠Frontline staff from three organizations shared their successes and challenges in advocating for the right to food with their local representatives 💠10 informative sessions on advocacy, fundraising, media outreach, and more 💠An enlightening conversation with Dr. Elisa Levi and CFCC Board Member Kelly Gordon, RD on “Food As Medicine” 💠A closing panel on our priorities as we work to transform the future of food with perspectives from across our network 💠Refreshing meals from Fred’s Kitchen, Twist Catering (La-toya Fagon), and fresh salad greens from The New Farm. Plus, Crank Coffee stopped by in their coffee truck for a much-needed pick-me-up. We are grateful to BMO, Maple Leaf Foods Inc Centre for Food Security, Weston Family Foundation, Medavie Blue Cross / Croix Bleue Medavie, Moffat Family Fund at Winnipeg Foundation, and Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. (Home of MadeGood) for supporting Food Summit 2024. Thanks to support from our amazing donors, we were able to welcome many more people who would otherwise not be able to attend due to travel costs. Stay tuned for more highlights from the event! In the meantime, learn more about the Good Food Organization program: https://lnkd.in/gKT2HQuC 📸 @mrgiladcohen

May this festival of lights brighten your home and heart, bringing peace and joy into your life. Happy Diwali! #Diwali #HappyDiwali

Happy #Halloween! Enjoy the simple pleasure of spooky sweet treats, whether you're eating them, sharing them, or both. Are you interested in our work to change some truly frightening facts about food insecurity in Canada? 🔦 Check out our Poverty Action Unit: https://lnkd.in/gcB9vzik 🔦 Look up your address at foodsecuritynow.ca and get stats for your riding 🔦 Sign up for our newsletter at cfccanada.ca/subscribe and stay up to date on the amazing work our partners do across the country

Did you know that community kitchen movement started in Peru? Known as comedores populares, communal or community kitchens are a way for women from families living on low incomes to collectively prepare food. The kitchens offer more than food for families, they empower women and create solidarity so they can further social change. This inspiring model resonates with us at Community Food Centres Canada. Our partners offer a variety of food-centred programming as a way to meet the needs of community members while supporting them in calling for change. Pictured here: two community members from The Alex Community Food Centre preparing a community meal together. Read about our 15 partner Community Food Centres and the difference they are making in communities across Canada: https://cfccanada.ca #LatinHeritageMonth