Food and Community Development

One of the two agenices for whom I work operates a food bank. It is open every other Thursday between one and four p.m. My role is to provide an empathic ear, give out referrals or assistance as the individual person requires. I am the only professional staff person there. The other workers are people who use the food bank. At the end of each food bank we have a meeting to debrief and to plan ahead. I facilitate the meetings but it functions as a team and everyone speaks out if they have an idea or concern. The team has really developed over the past few months and the workers are confident that they can speak out when something is on their mind. They, as are all who use our service, are treated with dignity and respect.

We do not ask people for identification, nor do we ask them to prove that they need food. We believe that all people have the right to food and if the government is failing to meet its commitment in guaranteeing that right then it is our job and duty to do so. In addition to raising funds for food, we undertake public education activities, which are designed to increase the community's awareness about the extent of hunger in Thunder Bay, and to offer constructive solutions to end that hunger.

We also belong to an organization called the Food Action Network, (FAN) which addresses food security issues within the city. FAN encourages the development of community kitchens and community gardens as well as acting as an advocate. there are a total of 27 emergency food programs from breakfast clubs to food banks in Thunder Bay and most of them are represnted at FAN. We have just completed a proposal, which will be submitted to the funder later this week. The intent of the proposal is to provide seed money, so that a co-ordinator can be hired, so that the organization can expand its activities.

We all must eat and this fact gives us a common ground upon which we can build a strong and vibrant community. Over the next few weeks, I'll be exploring communities, which are working to see that all the people who live within them, get enough to eat. Many of these programs have benefits which go far beyond the dinner table.

Brain Food:

worker coops

worker coops, an overview

best practices

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