Promotes Sustainable Community Food Model that Addresses Poverty and Food Insecurity

 

TORONTO, ON – October 1, 2022 — The Centre for Immigrant and Community Services (CICS) today celebrated the harvest season by hosting the Fall Harvest Festival at CICS’ Community Garden in Scarborough. Hundreds of people from the community gathered to enjoy fresh produce by local vendors, musical performances and arts and crafts activities. Many also toured the garden and greenhouse to learn first-hand how CICS' Community Food Model addresses food insecurity, social isolation and social inequity in the community.

 

Member of Parliament for Scarborough—Agincourt Jean Yip, Member of Provincial Parliament for Scarborough—Agincourt Aris Babikian and Toronto City Councillor for Ward 22 Scarborough—Agincourt Nick Mantas offered greetings at the opening ceremony. A representative from the office of the Member of Parliament for Scarborough North Shaun Chen presented a letter of greeting from Mr. Chen.

 

“The Fall Harvest Festival symbolizes CICS’ approach to combating the issue of poverty,” CICS Executive Director Alfred Lam said. “By bringing people together and addressing the issues as a community, we can find systemic and sustainable solutions to free people from the bondage of poverty.”

 

As one of the few settlement agencies in the GTA with a focus to address the issue of food insecurity, CICS has established the SAFE Communities (Sustainable and Accessible Foods for Empowering Communities) Project, which encompasses the Food Bank, Community Garden and Community Kitchen programs. These programs connect all the dots in CICS’ Community Food Model, addressing the issues of food insecurity, social isolation and social inequity, problems exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

CICS’ Community Garden promotes sustainable foods in the community by empowering clients to grow their food at home with seeds and tools provided. CICS is building a seed library with culturally relevant plants that build connections to the newcomers’ homeland. The Community Garden also creates a gathering space for people of different cultures. Newcomers can build a better understanding of their own identities and build relationships with others around food.

 

In addition, when clients visit the Community Garden and the Food Bank, they are introduced to other resources and services at CICS, including language classes, employment services, mental health and counselling sessions, as well as sports and recreational activities for youth and seniors. CICS’ goal is to empower people in the community with the necessary tools, resources and connections to help them break the cycle of poverty.

 

Judy Yeung, Assistant of Member of Parliament for Scarborough North Shaun Chen; Jean Yip, Member of Parliament for Scarborough—Agincourt; and Alfred Lam, CICS Executive Director.

 

CICS Executive Director Alfred Lam took Member of Provincial Parliament for Scarborough—Agincourt Aris Babikian on a tour around CICS’ Community Garden.

 

Toronto City Councillor for Ward 22 Scarborough—Agincourt Nick Mantas presented a letter of greeting to CICS Chair of the Board of Directors Mercy Yan and CICS Executive Director Alfred Lam.

 

Participants purchased fresh fruits and vegetables picked from CICS’ Community Garden.

 

Quick Facts:

 

• According to the University of Toronto’s “Household Food Insecurity in Canada 2021” report, about 16% of Ontario households (more than 2.3 million people) lived in food insecurity. Nationwide, 1 in 5 children lived in food-insecure households.
• CICS’ Food Bank started in 2020 during the pandemic as a pop-up location and has now developed into a long-term program to accommodate community needs.
• Since March 2022, there has been a significant increase in the number of people accessing CICS’ Food Bank. Now we serve over 175 households per week.
• Every year, CICS’ Community Garden supplies over 1,700 pounds of produce to the Food Bank.
• CICS’ Community Kitchen is a commercial-grade kitchen that provides space to show clients how to cook nutritious meals and prepare them to work in the food industry.
• CICS’ SAFE Communities (Sustainable and Accessible Foods for Empowering Communities) Project is funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

 

CICS Community Garden

Address: 2330 Midland Avenue, Toronto, ON M1S 5G5 (North of Highway 401)

Telephone: 416-292-7510 Ext. 125

 

 

About Centre for Immigrant and Community Services

Founded in 1968, the Centre for Immigrant and Community Services (CICS) is a not-for-profit organization and a registered charity that provides core settlement and integration services, including language training and employment, at eight locations across Toronto and York Region, serving more than 20,000 clients every year from early years children to seniors. CICS has also established a community food program that aims at increasing food security through our own community garden, community kitchen and food bank. CICS is also committed to building welcoming and inclusive communities by being a strong advocate for social justice and anti-racism.

 

Learn more at CICS’ website or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.