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People aren’t just falling through the cracks, the ground is collapsing beneath their feet
In our Food for Thought series, individuals within North York Harvest Food Bank will share their experience in matters pertaining to food insecurity and poverty. This series will share ideas, perspectives, and lessons learned as we work toward our vision of a community where all members are able to meet their food needs.
Written by Sarah Watson; Director of Community Engagement
Each year at this time, North York Harvest Food Bank, in partnership with Daily Bread Food Bank, releases our annual Who’s Hungry Report. In our new 2024 report you will see that:
- More than 1 in 10 Torontonians used a food bank last year
- 9 in 10 food bank clients live in unaffordable housing, with 20% of clients spending their entire income on rent
- 49% of clients have at least one member of their household who is employed
These numbers, while incredibly distressing, are very much in line with what we have seen for the last four years, and sadly will come as no surprise to many. They are telling us that we are in the midst of a poverty and food insecurity crisis in our city, but after four years, they are also telling us something more.
The spirit of food banks is neighbours helping neighbours and that is a beautiful thing. But community care at this level is a clear sign of systems failure. Our support systems and our social safety net have been allowed to fray to such a level that people aren’t just falling through the cracks, the ground is collapsing beneath their feet.
Food banks cannot fix this. The supports we provide are critical, but on their own they are not a solution.
For years the Who’s Hungry Report has clearly shown that to solve this crisis what our community members need is affordable housing, access to decent work that pays a living wage, and social assistance rates that don’t leave them in legislated poverty.
Until we see these things, the situation will not change.
North York Harvest and our member agencies need support in order to ensure that people have access to the food they need today. Thanks to you, we have been able to meet record levels of demand from our community this past year, and we are so thankful for your partnership.
But we are also asking you to join us in the fight for long term solutions so that together we can build a city where all people are able to meet their food needs.
To learn more about what we are seeing in food banks across the city, and how we can all work together for long term solutions, please read our report.
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