Eden Food for Change to receive $40,000 for emergency food aid in the wake of COVID-19
Good Food Access Fund Grant will help EFFC provide Good Food for All
Mississauga, Ontario, 15 April 2020 — Eden Food for Change (EFFC) is pleased to announce it has received a grant of $40,000 from Community Food Centres Canada’s Good Food Access Fund. The grant will enable EFFC to continue to work towards fighting food insecurity in Mississauga during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding is provided in part by the Government of Canada’s Local Food Infrastructure Fund, as part of the Food Policy for Canada. The Fund aims to strengthen food systems and facilitate access to safe and nutritious food for at-risk populations.
Here at Eden Food for Change, we understand that this is a difficult time for everyone due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No one thinks that they are going to need to use the food bank, until they do. In Canada, 44% of households have already been laid off or lost work while 18% are anticipating lost work. Furthermore, 19% will need to use a food bank or some service providing free food (Angus Reid Institute). These effects will be felt long after the pandemic is over and we resume our normal lives. We want to make sure we are there for our community so no one has to choose between going into debt and feeding their families. The Good Food Access Fund will allow us to continue to keep our doors open and provide food hampers to families, including fresh, good food like milk, eggs, and protein.
“Food insecurity was already an urgent problem before the COVID-19 crisis, with one in 8 Canadians struggling to put food on the table. In a time of national crisis, it is in our nature as Canadians to do what we can for our most vulnerable neighbours. We are grateful to the Government of Canada for their quick response, as well as the many corporate partners and generous donors who have stepped forward” says Nick Saul, CEO of Community Food Centres Canada. “The Good Food Access Fund aims to make sure that as many people as possible will be able to get the food that they need. And while we must deal with the current circumstances, CFCC remains committed to advancing policy change that addresses the underlying causes of food insecurity and poverty in Canada. We can’t forget that structural inequity is at the core of so many of the challenges that Canadians face, a fact which painfully confronts us when an emergency like this occurs.”
Media inquiries:
Eden Food for Change
Eden Food for Change is committed to increasing access to good food in a dignified manner, developing food skills to encourage healthy eating and empowering the community through education, outreach and advocacy. Learn more at www.edenffc.org or follow @edenfoodforchange (on Facebook) and @EdenFood4Change (on Twitter)
Media contact:
Naz Zarifian, Communications Advisor
naz@www.edenffc.org
Community Food Centres Canada
Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC) builds health, belonging and social justice in low-income communities through the power of food. We work with 13 Community Food Centres and 183 Good Food Organizations in 175 communities across Canada. Our Good Food Access Fund was established to provide emergency relief during this time of national crisis to our most vulnerable neighbours. Learn more at cfccanada.ca or follow @aplaceforfood.
Media contact:
Juniper Locilento, Chief Development & Communications Officer
416-576-2561 or juniper@cfccanada.ca