MEDIA RELEASES
AUGUST 2020
St. Philip’s Lutheran Church receives $37,500 to address COVID-19 food insecurity in Toronto
Emergency Community Support Fund grant provides fresh food to 75 families in need
St. Philip’s Lutheran Church is thrilled to receive a grant of $37,500 through United Way of Greater Toronto. This funding means St. Philip’s can provide fresh food to 75 families once a week for two months through its Neighbourhood Table @ Home program.
“We are blessed and overjoyed to be amongst the recipients of this generous grant,” says Pastor Tuula Van Gaasbeek. “Timing is everything, and now we can keep supporting our neighbours through the fall. With more money, we’re adding 10 families to our roster of participants for a total of 75.”
Securing this funding will allow St. Philip’s to help families in central Etobicoke—serving vulnerable Canadians amidst the COVID-19 pandemic—by delivering produce boxes and fresh bread.
“We are also grateful to our volunteer drivers, who are playing an integral role in the program’s success,” says Van Gaasbeek.
Fall programming is aimed at parents and developing their food skills.
“We will have weekly themes supported by Zoom sessions on food preparation and loot bags with tools or products related to the theme,” says project coordinator Eunice Hogeveen.
The grant is funded by the Government of Canada; the $350 million Emergency Community Support Fund aims to help community-based organizations that serve a pressing social inclusion or well-being need caused by COVID-19.
The demand for fresh, nutritious food remains high in central Etobicoke as the pandemic drags on.
“The Neighbourhood Table @ Home was our way of pivoting during the coronavirus lockdown—normally, we’d host families at our church through a summer program called The Neighbourhood Table,” says Hogeveen. “Our congregation put our heads together and quickly found a way to continue nurturing relationships in the community. We’re feeding families and planting seeds of love and hope right at their doorstep.”
MAY 2020
St. Philip's Lutheran Church to receive $10,000 for emergency food aid in the wake of COVID-19
Good Food Access Fund Grant will provide fresh food to 65 families in need
Toronto, Ontario, May 29, 2020 — St. Philip's Lutheran Church is pleased to announce it has received a grant of $10,000 from Community Food Centres Canada’s Good Food Access Fund. The grant will enable St. Philip's to provide fresh food to 65 families once a week for 8 weeks. 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.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the grant. Over the last few months, the needs for food around us have grown,” says Pastor Tuula Van Gaasbeek. “This grant allows us to increase the number of families receiving weekly produce boxes, fresh bread and food-related activity bags for children. Since we have a sufficient network of volunteer drivers to accommodate more deliveries, the additional funding gives us the opportunity to add 25 families.”
With the extra funds, St. Philip's can now extend the weekly program by 2 weeks.
“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.”
Vision statement:
We are a diverse and inclusive Lutheran faith community touched by the grace of Christ to find God and self as we connect with our neighbours. We practise hospitality of open hearts and open arms. We unite with partners to make a difference in our neighbourhood. We nurture the community of Christ.
Media inquiries:
Kelly Roche
kelly@rochekelly.com
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