People in East Scarborough experience poverty and racism, which impacts their overall food security. They may rely on food banks or other programs to supplement or entirely fulfill their needs.

They’re also finding it challenging to purchase foods that are culturally relevant - whether that’s specific kinds of meat, spices and sauces, or types of grains. Or if they can purchase these foods, it’s not convenient.

They want to grow their own food. But in a neighbourhood where most people live in tower apartment complexes, finding green space to grow vegetables and herbs is difficult.

Of course, that’s not the whole picture of the food system in KGO. If these challenges could all be overcome, people in East Scarborough would experience greater food security within a resilient food system. That’s where we do our work.

The Storefront has always played a role in food security in KGO. The Roots of Scarborough East Community Garden, the Eco Food Hub community kitchen, and resident-led projects have always existed. But the nature of the work continuously changes.

During Covid, everything shifted. Pre-existing hunger and food insecurity became more profound, more widespread. Needs changed. Grassroots leaders mobilized quickly and The Storefront supported them with connections to food, use of our kitchen, and by coordinating community partners in our network to support their work.

Today, The Storefront engages in a variety of responses to food insecurity to respond to immediate needs while conducting work to alleviate food insecurity on a systemic level.

How we prioritize equity & power sharing in food systems work:

We prioritize equity and power sharing by centering residents and creating conditions where they are in the lead.

We prioritize Black-led grassroots groups doing food systems work. Food security is an anti-Black racism issue in Canada and in KGO. Black food sovereignty is a solution being pursued by various groups and organizations to address the legacy of slavery and anti-Black racism in our food system, including a new Black Food Sovereignty plan for the City of Toronto.

Finally, we pay close attention to culturally-appropriate foods for the neighbourhood in our role facilitating access to various food sources.