Day of Action- Prioritizing Food Security
October 22, 2024
Statement by Heron Emergency Food Centre (HEFC)
Food banks are effective partners to the local and provincial governments. They act as catalysts for community development, building social capital, helping build healthier, more resilient communities and ensuring a brighter future for all Canadians.
Government support for food banks is an investment not an expense.
We support the Ottawa Food Bank in advocating and raising awareness about food insecurity and encourage government support to effectively fight food insecurity by mobilizing needed resources and infrastructure and amplifying the impact of food banks. Food banks are strong, committed and capable partners of the government in fighting food insecurity and working toward the well-being of Ottawans.
In the current social and economic environment, providing food assistance to those in need can alleviate financial pressure on families, allowing them to allocate their limited resources toward other essential needs such as housing, education, and healthcare, and enable individuals to focus on employment opportunities. We have the community connection and the required system to mobilize resources and positively impact the resilience of the communities we serve. Supporting a food bank means investing in the well-being of our community by fostering healthier and more resilient communities where people have opportunities to succeed, live with dignity and have a sense of belonging. Supporting a food bank is not only about the short-term outcome of providing food to those in need but also about fostering long-term sustainability by supporting the economic and social stability of our neighbourhoods.
The Heron Emergency Food Centre (HEFC) is one of the largest food banks in Ottawa and serves residents of Southeast Ottawa. The catchment area we serve is home to neighbourhoods with median household incomes that are 50% lower than that of the Ottawa-Gatineau and unemployment rates that are approximately 40% higher than the rest of the city. The HEFC provides a seven-day emergency supply of food to food-insecure households, only once a month. HEFC serves 2,500 clients/month with one part-time paid employee and 90 volunteers from a very small space in the Heron Road Community Centre. The funding for this space and the salary of the part-time employee are graciously provided by the City of Ottawa. We acknowledge the support of our local politicians and recognize their political will to work towards poverty eradication in our neighbourhoods.
Most of the food distributed by HEFC is provided by the Ottawa Food Bank. Starting in January 2025, due to financial constraints at the Ottawa Food Bank, the amount of food provided will be eliminated or significantly reduced. Although we are actively pursuing every avenue to raise funds, we will not be able to cover the cost of food, consequently, we must substantially cut back on the food provided. Major staple foods such as margarine, macaroni and cheese, tomato sauce and baby cereal/food will be eliminated. Bread, chicken, canned vegetables, cereal, tea and coffee, dry legumes, dry pasta, peanut butter and snacks will be significantly reduced. Interruption in our services has life-changing negative impacts on children, seniors, single parents, and families in our neighbourhoods.
We hope one day we can close the doors of HEFC, when the root causes of food insecurity are addressed and there is no demand for emergency food. However, this is not on the near horizon. Inflation and high food prices are not yet tackled, and unemployment, low household income, and high housing prices are still the top social and economic challenges of our communities.
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