Scarborough Food Security Initiative

FEED SCARBOROUGH IN 2018 STARTED OUT AS A SMALL ORGANIZATION HANDING OUT HOLIDAY HAMPERS DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. IT WASN’T UNTIL THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HIT IN MARCH 2020 THAT FEED SCARBOROUGH BECAME SUCH A VITAL SOCIAL SERVICE IN SCARBOROUGH. THEY’RE NOW SERVING +3000 OF OUR NEIGHBOURS EVERY WEEK AND THE NUMBERS ARE GROWING WEEKLY. SUMAN ROY THE FOUNDER OF FEED SCARBOROUGH QUICKLY GOT TOGETHER A TEAM WHEN OTHER FOOD BANKS WERE BEING SHUT DOWN DUE TO THE PANDEMIC – RIGHT WHEN THE DEMAND FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE ROSE QUICKLY WITH LAYOFFS AND LOCKDOWNS. SUMAN ROY AND SOME FRIENDS PUT SOME MONEY ON THE TABLE AND STARTED DELIVERING GROCERIES TO OVER 1000 HOUSEHOLDS WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY DEPENDENT ON THEN SHUT DOWN FOOD BANKS. NOW FEED SCARBOROUGH OPERATES 4 FOOD BANKS A 3 DAY A WEEK MOBILE HEALTHY MEAL PROGRAM OUT OF A FOOD TRUCK HAS WEEKLY EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES AND SUPPORTS A CO-OP STUDENT PROGRAM – ALL STAFFED BY 3 PEOPLE OPERATING WITH A FEW SHORT TERM GRANTS COMMUNITY DONATIONS AND THE LABOUR OF INCREDIBLE VOLUNTEERS. THEIR SERVICE AREA IS CLIFFSIDE OAKRIDGE MARKHAM AND KENNEDY NEIGHBOURHOODS IN SCARBOROUGH. EVERY WEEK ROUGHLY 100 VOLUNTEERS SERVE 3000 SCARBOROUGH RESIDENTS. REMEMBER THAT WHEN WE SAY 3000 RESIDENTS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN TOO AS 1 IN 2 CHILDREN IN SCARBOROUGH ARE LIVING IN POVERTY.