Three Meals a Day: Nourishing Youth
Comments Off on Three Meals a Day: Nourishing YouthEver wonder where your next meal was coming from? Or how you’d manage to afford groceries that week? For the youth in our food bank community, these are critical questions. Your support provides a nourishing response.
Troy lives in a youth homeless shelter that North York Harvest Food Bank delivers food to each week. “Hunger is definitely a crisis. The case is there isn’t food to eat or there is. If there is food in the stomach, even if you don’t have love, you are warm.”
With the most basic needs of food and shelter met, Troy can focus on taking advantage of the opportunities to change his life. Recently, he applied for an apprenticeship to become an arborist, something he has wanted to do for years, and says that in general things are looking better.
Robin echoes Troy’s sentiment. Also living in the shelter system, Robin has been through some tough times. “I ran away from my mom because she was abusive.” After several attempts, Robin has now found a safe, wheelchair accessible space where three meals are served each day.
With your help, North York Harvest delivers food to youth shelters throughout northern Toronto, providing young people with access to nourishing meals so they can begin to imagine a future.
In addition to delivering food, we also run programs that can help build skills for the future. This month, our Oriole Food Space begins a community kitchen prog
ram in partnership with the shelter where Troy and Robin are staying.
It will focus on cooking with affordable ingredients to make healthy, simple meals. From culinary skills to food safety, youth will be better prepared for when they leave the shelter. They will also learn that local food banks can be a support as they transition into building a new life on their own.
Food is not only a basic human need, it is a building block for a healthier, better life. When you give to North York Harvest, you open up opportunities. As Troy says: “It is important everyone has sustenance in their life, otherwise you aren’t privileged enough to be healthy like everyone else.”
Keep up with news from your community! Sign up for the Enews!