Tag Archive: community

  1. Agency Spotlight: Meet Society for the Living!

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    Meet Society for the Living!

    Since she was a little girl, Joyce has been working alongside her mother and three siblings at Society for the Living, a food bank and partner agency of North York Harvest Food Bank.

    “I don’t know how many people get to work alongside their family and give back to their community. It’s something that’s really special because at the same time we’re doing this work, we get to connect as a family and connect with our community,” Joyce says. 

    Joyce works with her mother, known in the community as sister Vee, and siblings Aisha, Sedem, and Immanuel.

    Since 1998 Society for the Living has been serving the North York community, with an emphasis on providing culturally meaningful food and a welcoming space for clients to connect with one another.

    For 25 years Society called 274 Eddystone Ave. home. But during the pandemic, their rent was raised by 200% and they had to find a new space — at a time when the need in the community was increasing rapidly.

    Today, Society operates out of shipping containers at two different sites:  Jane and Shepherd, and Oakdale, serving 900 client visits each month.

    “It was really sad for us to lose that space and we hope to one day be able to have a space to call our own with our community to connect and shareA father and daughter stand outside at a farm holding fresh vegetables. food,” Joyce says.

    For now they are continuing to build community however they can, including through a farm project where they grow and harvest fresh food to serve at their programs. Clients have a say in the kinds of produce that is grown and some clients also volunteer to help on the farm.

    “It’s very grounding being outside in fresh air with each other and planting, growing, and harvesting food together. It’s really beautiful to see that,” Joyce says.

    The next generation in the family are already helping out at the food bank, whether by cleaning up, setting up or packing boxes.

    “Like me, they’re learning at a very young age that there’s a need in the community and each of us has the opportunity to give back,” Joyce says.

    Learn more about Society for the Living at https://www.societyforthelivingfoodbank.com/

  2. ISV rallies community to give back

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    Islamic Society of Vaughan joins North York Harvest for day of community giving

    A group of volunteers wearing yellow Islamic Society of Vaughan t-shirts pick up cans and place them in boxes.

    At North York Harvest we’re doing everything we can to ensure our community members can meet their food needs – but we can’t do it alone.

    On November 30 the Islamic Society of Vaughan stepped forward with an incredible gift of $25,000 that was used to purchase nutritious food to support our neighbours in need. Through their donation, we were able to purchase:

    • 6,048 cans of sweet peas
    • 5,100 bags of pasta
    • 10,752 cans of kidney beans
    • 4,320 cans of pasta sauce

    Fifty members of the Islamic Society of Vaughan also joined us at our warehouse to sort and prepare the food for distribution themselves, sorting over  27,700 lbs. of food!

    It was a joyous day of community care, teamwork, and compassion that will send positive ripples out into our community for the weeks to come.

    Check out the video below for a recap of the day!

  3. Annual food drive inspires community pride!

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    How a food drive became a source of community pride

    A mother, father and daughter kneel on the grass packing food donations into a bag

    What happens when you combine a DJ booth, a townhouse complex, and neighbours who are passionate about giving back?

    The LaRose townhouse complex has answered that it’s a much-anticipated neighbourhood party that collects food and funds for North York Harvest Food Bank!

    Matt Foran spearheaded this food drive starting in 2021, getting his family involved to make posters and encouraging his neighbours to join together to help people facing food insecurity.

    With the soaring cost of housing and food, “The food drive notion is very relatable because people recognize it’s tough for them too,” Matt says.

    Fighting food insecurity also runs in the family: His father started the Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank, and his cousins started a food bank out in Sudbury.

    Every year the neighbourhood comes together for the Community Giving Day, an event where folks can drop off donations, but also hang out and connect with their neighbours while Matt often DJs to really make it a party!

    “It’s become a source of community pride,” Matt says, “and it’s become something that people look forward to. When they see me walking my dog they ask ‘when it’s going to happen, what’s our goal?’”

    Each year they try to start with a goal of $3,500 but this year Matt said they had to be ambitious because of the growing need they are seeing in their community.

    This year the food and fund drive exceeded their target, bringing in $6,400 plus 465 lbs of food!

    The Community Giving Day has even spread beyond the LaRose townhouse, with donations coming in from all over the city.

    “it was amazing to see the list of donors and people I hadn’t met before, they heard about it through friends and neighbours. It’s wonderful it brings people together like this,” Matt says.

    Thank you to Matt and everyone at the LaRose townhouse complex, this generosity will directly support nearly 30,000 client visits across our network, and help individuals and families meet their food needs.

    Be a Harvest Hero

    Learn how you can get involved and make a difference as we work towards our vision of a community where all members are able to meet their food needs.

    Start your own food drive!

    OR

    Start a virtual food drive!

  4. Community Advocacy Group: Fighting poverty from the ground up!

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    Community Advocacy Group: Fighting poverty from the ground up!

    What do you think is the most important issue leading to food bank use? What could help solve that issue? 

    These were the questions we’ve been asking people who come to our food banks over the summer. We wanted to hear about the biggest challenges leading to food insecurity in our community from the people living it – and we wanted to hear what they think should be done about it too. 

    Over the past four months, hundreds of people shared their experiences at our local food banks, and over a hundred people attended one of five workshops to dive deeper into the issues.

    Here’s what we learned: 

    • Housing and the cost of rent was consistently the biggest challenge in people’s lives. This is consistent with our research at NYHFB that shows that once people pay their rent they have very little – if any at all – to spend on food and other necessities. 
    • Food prices, wages, employment, social assistance rates and pensions were among the other top issues prevalent in people’s lives. 

    But we didn’t just discuss the challenges. We also talked about solutions and what we can do to make those solutions a reality, and that’s where things got really exciting. Despite all the challenges our community is facing, people are abundantly clear: not only are we ready for change but we’re ready to take action to make it happen! 

    That’s how our Community Action Group got started — a NYHFB Advocacy Group aimed at tackling the root causes of poverty and hunger from the ground up. Now, we’re getting ready to take action for real change and long-term solutions for our community.  Together we’ll be fighting for rent control, affordable housing and food prices, fair wages, increased social assistance rates and more!

    Interested in joining us? Contact pamela@northyorkharvest.com!

    Three adults and a child sit around a table. The adults are engaged in a lively discussion.

  5. North York Harvest Partners with Canadian Tire to Expand Leadership in Logistics Program

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    North York Harvest Food Bank Partners with Canadian Tire Corporation to Expand Leadership in Logistics Program

    North York Harvest Food Bank is excited to announce its partnership with Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC) on the Leadership in Logistics (LIL) training program. Together we are providing innovative training and employment opportunities to those struggling with food insecurity.

    The LIL program, developed at North York Harvest, is a four-week paid internship that equips participants with essential skills in warehouse logistics, inventory management and forklift operations, empowering them to secure stable jobs.

    By creating pathways to sustainable employment, the program reduces food bank reliance and drives lasting, systemic change in the community.

    “Toronto is facing an unprecedented crisis of affordability, poverty, and food insecurity. North York Harvest is seeing record levels of food bank usage,” says North York Harvest Executive Director Ryan Noble.

    “We understand that free food is only a temporary fix and that traditional charitable models fall short of solving prolonged food insecurity. We have consistently advocated for a holistic approach to supporting individuals struggling with poverty towards truly sustainable livelihoods.”

    Since its launch in 2023, more than 80% of participants have successfully completed the program and have secured full-time employment.

    “The program has impacted my life so well,” recent graduate Moses says. “I had nowhere to start from, I was new here and had no hope. Even some people I met when I came here, they have not yet found work, so for me I got so lucky with the program and I feel so blessed.”

    This partnership demonstrates how a charity and a for-profit business can work together to foster lasting and sustainable change in our community. Read the full press release here.

  6. Flood protection funding is a community victory!

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    Flood protection funding is a community victory!

    On July 16, North York Harvest Food Bank was hit hard by a devastating flood that resulted in a power outage, infrastructure damage, and $20,000 of spoiled food.

    Our community has faced terrible floods before, and we knew it wasn’t if, but when it would happen again.

    Several of our partner agencies and countless community members were also reeling from the effects: displaced from their homes, property damage, loss of essential food supplies and services, and more.

    After the flood, North York Harvest Food Bank, Youth Without Shelter, Room to Grow Food Bank, the Mount Dennis Community Association, and the Black Creek

    A crowd of people including Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh listens as North York Harvest Executive Director Ryan Noble gives a tour of the facility

    Alliance joined together to discuss the effects of the flood, and how we could move collaboratively toward solutions.

    Our discussions emphasized the urgent support needed from the government to alleviate the strain on our non-profits and our community.

    We were joined by Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who met with community members affected by the flood, amplified our concerns and supported our call for long-term solutions in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

    On August 30 an investment of $323-million from the City of Toronto and the federal government was announced to bolster the Rockcliffe-Smythe area against future flooding!

    A man stands and gives a presentation during a community discussion at North York Harvest Food Bank with a whiteboard in the background covered in notes.“This is the power of advocacy and community,” says Ryan Noble, Executive Director of North York Harvest Food Bank. “When we come together and fight for our community, we win. When we join our voices together and put pressure on the government to notice, it can work.

    “We’re proud to have stood with our partners and neighbours who have been raising alarm bells about this issue for years, and we’re hopeful it will bring relief for our community.”

    Several people stand in front of a backdrop with the North York Harvest Food Bank logo, smiling for a group picture.

  7. How Our Community Came Together During Disaster

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    How our community came together during disaster

    On July 16, a tremendous rainfall caused mass flooding and power outages across Toronto, and North York Harvest Food Bank got hit, hard.

    Summer is always a challenging time for food banks. North York Harvest saw the highest number of client visits on record in May, and for weeks had been running critically low on essential foods like pasta and canned fish. In reality, we were already in crisis mode. Then the flood happened.

    Our loading bays were flooded, our freezer broke, one of our delivery trucks was damaged, and water poured into the warehouse.

     

    On top of the infrastructure damage from the flood and power outage, about $20,000 worth of milk, yogurt and other high quality foods were spoiled. These are highly valued products, which our clients often can’t afford to buy for themselves and their families.

    The effects of this damage rippled outwards to our community. As a result, we weren’t able to provide as much food to our community food spaces and the dozens of agencies we support. Some of our partner agencies were also impacted, losing large amounts of inventory and facing significant damage to their food spaces.

    Community Champions

    We put out an urgent call for help, but we could not have imagined the incredible response from our community!

    We were in a crisis, but we weren’t alone. Individuals, community groups, local businesses, and organizations all showed up to help North York Harvest get back on its feet. Our phones were ringing off the hook; everyone was asking how they could help.

    Immediately, the generosity of our supporters was put into action: Shelves, cupboards and fridges were refilled to ensure our clients could access the food they need.

    This couldn’t have happened at a worse time, but this situation reminded us how incredible and compassionate our community is.

    After the flood

    Thanks to our generous supporters, we have been able to repair the delivery truck and get it back on the road. Unfortunately, multiple attempts at repairing the freezer have been unsuccessful. There is a temporary fix in place to keep it operational for now, but it will need to be replaced – and soon.

    The reality is North York Harvest Food Bank has outgrown its current warehouse. Our space and equipment were not designed to meet the demands of the growing number of individuals who rely on our services.

    Given that our warehouse serves as the main distribution site for four community food spaces and hundreds of food programs, maintaining the integrity of our supply chain is crucial. To reduce the risk of another breakdown, we are looking at offsite cold storage space as a contingency.

    “I think this shows just how fragile the network of food banks really is to deal with the crisis that we’re seeing,” says Ryan Noble, Executive Director of North York Harvest Food Bank. “This flood was an acute shock, but we’ve been dealing with a chronic crisis of food insecurity and poverty in this city for years.”

    Thank you to everyone for the support during this challenging time, and for joining with North York Harvest as we work toward our vision of a community where all members can meet their food needs.

  8. North York Harvest Receives Feed Ontario Innovation Award

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    North York Harvest Receives Feed Ontario Award for Innovation!

    Every year, the Feed Ontario Awards for Excellence honour food banks that have demonstrated exceptional work in innovation, advocacy, and leadership among Ontario’s network of food banks. The awards are presented each year at Feed Ontario’s annual conference, which was held this June in Kingston, Ontario.

    North York Harvest Food Bank is proud to announce we are the recipients of the prestigious Innovator Award this year!

    The Innovator Award, a significant recognition in the food bank sector, is presented to a food bank that has demonstrated innovation in programming, service, or sustainability.

    Seven people stand in a line smiling for a photo. Two people in the centre hold an award between them for Feed Ontario's Innovation Award.

    North York Harvest’s unique, community-driven initiatives create local jobs, provide valuable skills training, and ensure robust community food programs. This innovative approach not only meets immediate needs but also empowers individuals, building a stronger, more resilient community.

    “Toronto is facing an unprecedented crisis of affordability, poverty and food insecurity. North York Harvest is seeing record levels of food bank usage,” says Ryan Noble, Executive Director at North York Harvest Food Bank.

    “We understand free food is only a temporary fix and that traditional charitable models fall short of solving long-term food insecurity. We have long championed a holistic approach to supporting individuals struggling with poverty alongside strategies that foster our local economy and generate wealth in our communities,” he says.

    Our programs include:

    • Foodreach: A collaborative food purchasing program enabling hundreds of community partners to access food at reduced costs. The funds generated from FoodReach are invested back into NYHFB, helping to sustain our emergency food support by providing no-cost food to their member agencies and food banks.

     

    • Leadership in Logistics: A community-focused initiative of North York Harvest Food Bank that has been instrumental in empowering and investing in food bank clients. By offering paid training opportunities in logistics, warehousing, and materials handling, the program has equipped participants with a forklift certification and placed them in jobs at distribution centres, where they earn a living wage with benefits.

    “Each year, Feed Ontario presents awards to honour and acknowledge the exceptional work being done in food banks across our network,” said Carolyn Stewart, Chief Executive Officer at Feed Ontario. “In every corner of Ontario, food banks are working tremendously hard to ensure that everyone in their community has access to nutritious and healthy food.”

    Thank you to Feed Ontario for this recognition, and thank you to our staff, volunteers, partners and donors who make this transformative work possible!