Scarborough food bank sees success using UN sustainability goals

Feed Scarborough is tackling food insecurity by using the United Nation's sustainable development goals as a guide. And the head of the food bank says more organizations should do the same.

There are 17 goals in total, including eliminating poverty and hunger, as well as "responsible consumption and production."

Suman Roy, Feed Scarborough's executive director, told CBC Toronto the goals have had a positive impact on the food bank and its clientele since he started applying them to the charity's operations and programs about a year and a half ago.

"We are helping our community members to have better income and have the wraparound services, so they don't need a food bank," he said. "And we are seeing results."

In a recent survey, 46 per cent of Feed Scarborough's clients said they would have to go to bed hungry if the food bank closed its doors today. That's down from 91 per cent a year ago, Roy said. 

That impact is largely due to the food bank's comprehensive programming that aims to go beyond simply supplying food. Those initiatives include Canada's first online food bank, culinary training programs and a healthy meal program.

It also opened FoodHall TO earlier this year. The culinary incubator, located at 5210 Yonge St., offers newcomers to Canada the chance to grow a business and gain experience running a food kiosk.

This all comes at a time when food banks across the country have been reporting record-breaking numbers and calling for government assistance to address systemic issues that contribute to poverty and food insecurity.

But the Feed Scarborough team says that organizations can start addressing those issues now by implementing the UN sustainable development goals.

"Our ask is to all other smaller community organizations. Please look at it. Reach out to us," Roy said, noting that members of his team recently began mentoring Feed Ottawa, another small food insecurity organization.

Aleyda Ramirez has benefited from Feed Scarborough's approach to sustainability and community development. She was initially a client of the food bank and is now a co-ordinator with the organization. 

"Going back to 2020 when the pandemic started, I didn't have enough support for my family, so I went out. I asked for help," Ramirez told CBC Toronto. 

She wanted to return that help to others, so she started volunteering at Feed Scarborough and was eventually hired on and trained by the food bank.

"They trained me and today I have a full-time job. I'm able to support my family and I'm just so happy to be part of this team," Ramirez said.