With businesses closing and a massive increase in unemployment, more Torontonians than ever are unable to afford basic groceries. To help fight food insecurity FoodShare Toronto, an organization that always has a mission to make fresh food accessible to those in need, created a COVID-19 Emergency Food Box program to help get fresh produce to people in need.  

The demand has been overwhelming. “Within two weeks of launching our initiative, thousands of folks have requested an Emergency Good Food Box, and the number is growing. Our goal is to continue supporting these folks with a weekly home food delivery at no cost for the duration of the crisis,” said Paul Taylor, Executive Director, FoodShare Toronto. “A donation of $25 provides a family of four with a week’s supply of fresh vegetables and fruit.”

With community gardens closed, FoodShare has been figuring out alternative ways to source produce for their Emergency Good Food Box, and has partnered with Fresh City Farms. “At Fresh City, we feel we need to stand in solidarity with those in need. Our most vulnerable and racialized communities are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, ” reads a statement on the company website. “We are proud to partner with FoodShare Toronto as they deliver on their mission of good healthy food for all.”

There are two ways that we can all help support this initiative. If you are already a Fresh City Farms customer, you can tack on a donation to your next order. The FoodShare website also has a donation page, where you can donate as little or as much as you’re able. 

Everyone deserves to be able to eat fresh food. We need it to survive, we need it to thrive. In 2018, FoodShare was able to get fresh food to 264,089 people in Toronto. That’s a big number, and with the economy now shattered, it’s getting bigger. Help if you can.