Uber Eats Partners with MFRC to Combat Food Insecurity in Scarborough
New partnership will provide nutritious meals to more than 16,000 community members and support local urban farming initiatives
TORONTO, Sept. 19, 2024 /CNW/ - Uber Eats has announced a three-year partnership with the Malvern Family Resource Centre (MFRC) to combat food insecurity across Malvern and Scarborough. This initiative will help the MFRC deliver nutritious meals to more than 16,000 community members while supporting local urban farmers and increasing access to fresh, local produce through the Malvern Urban Farm.
The MFRC is a vital Community Hub and non-profit, offering a wide range of accessible programs and services that engage community members in Scarborough. Developing sustainable, community-based solutions to food insecurity is a major focus for the MFRC, with nearly one in four (24%) Torontonians worrying about being able to put food on the table.
"Expanding access to healthy food options in Scarborough is a top priority for the MFRC, especially as we see a surge in food insecurity in households that are relying more and more on food banks to feed families," says Josh Berman, Executive Director at Malvern Family Resource Centre. "Uber Eats' generous support will help us provide more high-quality, nutritious meals for youth, newcomers, and other vulnerable groups so that the communities we serve can continue to grow and thrive."
Funding from Uber Eats will help provide meals and increase access to healthy produce through the MFRC's programming and the Malvern Urban Farm. The two-acre farm located in the Finch hydro corridor supports 16 farmers and their families to generate supplemental income by growing fresh, culturally relevant produce. The Urban Farm also operates a hydroponic microfarm, runs programs to teach agriculture skills to youth, provides a community-supported agriculture vegetable subscription box and holds weekly, seasonal farmer's markets. In addition to these programs, Uber Eats will also support small farming business development, with a focus on newcomers, through coaching and mentorship programs at the Urban Farm.
"At Uber Eats, we believe healthy food should be accessible to all. We're proud to support the MFRC's efforts to close the hunger gap and improve access to nutritious foods for children and families across Malvern and Scarborough," says Lola Kassim, General Manager of Uber Eats Canada. "By providing access to fresh, local produce and healthy meals, we're working to ensure that more kids can play and learn on full stomachs, laying a solid foundation for lifelong health and success."
Uber Eats and the MRFC announced the partnership together with Toronto Maple Leafs Captain Auston Matthews earlier this month. At the community event, Scarborough youth had the opportunity to face off with Matthews in a friendly game of floor hockey and enjoy nutritious snacks prepared with produce from the Malvern Urban Farm.
As part of its partnership, Uber Eats and the MFRC will seek out opportunities to meet with local governments to advocate for stronger food and income security policies.
About Uber
Uber's mission is to create opportunity through movement. Co-founded by Calgarian entrepreneur Garrett Camp, we started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 52 billion trips later, we're building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities. For more information, visit uber.com.
About MFRC
Since 1982, Malvern Family Resource Centre (MFRC) has been an essential and trusted Community Hub that serves more than 16,000 community members across Malvern and Scarborough each year. With more than 70 staff and over 225 volunteers, the MFRC provides highly accessible programs and services that address the most pressing issues for children, youth, families, women, newcomers and seniors within the local community. For more information, visit mfrc.org.
SOURCE Uber Canada Inc.
Media Contact: Keerthana Rang, [email protected]
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