The Stop Community Food Centre Serves 50,000th Free Meal During COVID-19
Since March 2020, The Stop has offered meals, food hampers, and remote programming to support Torontonians experiencing food insecurity during COVID-19.
TORONTO, Feb. 23, 2021 /CNW/ - The Stop Community Food Centre served its 50,000th meal this month, marking a significant milestone in its efforts to alleviate food insecurity during COVID-19.
After the pandemic hit, The Stop transitioned its services to emergency food access. Every day, its team of chefs and volunteers serve 200-300 free, nutritious takeaway meals at The Stop's two locations—while also offering healthy food hampers at its Food Bank, social supports at its Community Advocacy Office, and urban agriculture programming at its greenhouse and gardens at Artscape Wychwood Barns.
"The Stop's commitment to providing nutritious food to the most vulnerable people in our community hasn't wavered," explains Winsome Miller, Director, Programs and Operations at The Stop. "Our frontline teams have continued to purchase the most nutritious ingredients, prepare meals with thoughtfulness and care, and serve our community members, rain or shine."
In addition to the meals The Stop's team makes from scratch, the organization has been grateful to serve donated dishes from restaurants such as Pukka, The Drake, and Tabule, as well as organizations like Feed the Frontlines.
Hitting the 50,000 meal milestone is a melancholy occasion, as it illustrates how food insecurity is worsening in Toronto. The 50,000 figure represents nearly a 20% increase in demand for The Stop's meals over a similar non-COVID period.
"The COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting how many of us are one missed paycheque away from using a food bank," says Miller. "1 in 8 Canadian households were food insecure before this pandemic began, and in 2021, sadly, we expect this number to grow."
The Stop is projecting that due to increased demand for its services, they will serve an additional 10,000 meals over usual numbers in 2021. To meet the increase in costs, The Stop is seeking to raise $50,000 to provide the next 10,000 meals and to offer other vital services. In the year ahead, The Stop will also seek to expand its urban agriculture and peer advocacy programming to address the root causes of food insecurity and poverty in Toronto.
Donations can be made to #thenext10000 campaign at www.thestop.org/the-next-10000
SOURCE The Stop Community Food Centre
Maria Rio, Director of Development and Communications, The Stop Community Food Centre, [email protected], 647-704-8596
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