Food Access Working Group
We believe…
The Food Access Working Group (FAWG) is one of the working groups of the Guelph Wellington Food Roundtable. FAWG believes that everyone in Guelph and Wellington should have access to culturally acceptable, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs; in a manner that maintains human dignity. Members of the FAWG work collaboratively to increase capacity and quality of service of emergency food system in our community.
What we know…
- In March 2013, 833,098 people turned to a food bank in Canada (Food Banks Canada, 2013)
- In Ontario, 35% of people assisted by food banks were children (Food Banks Canada, 2013)
- In Guelph & Wellington, 30% of people accessing emergency food programs are employed and nearly 50% are paying market rent (The Research Shop, 2013)
What we’re doing about it…
- Implementing guiding principles a to provide clearer rules and a more consistent approach to eligibility for emergency food services across our community. Learn more here: Guiding Principles for Eligibility Criteria Online Toolkit.
- Distributing the Guelph-Wellington-Dufferin Food Access Guide to support families and individuals access healthy, no- or low-cost food in our community. The Food Access Guide can be accessed online here: Food Access Guide 2013
- Identifying and addressing barriers to access service (i.e. physical access to service, service hours, service delivery).
- Organizing an annual city-wide food drive to ensure all food pantries in our community have enough food to distribute to those in need.
Who we are…
Chair: Lisa Needham, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
- Food & Friends, The Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington
- The Salvation Army
- Chalmers Community Services Centre
- Brant Avenue Neighbourhood Group
- University of Guelph Central Student Association Food Bank
- Grange Hill East Neighbourhood Group
- Guelph Food Bank
- New Life Church
- Lakeside HOPE House
- Holy Rosary Parish
- Community Resource Centre
- Parkwood Gardens Neighbourhood Group
- Two Rivers Neighbourhood Group
- Waverley Neighbourhood Group
- West Willow Woods Neighbourhood Group
- Speroway
- Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination
For more information, contact: Lisa.Needham ” at” wdgpublichealth.ca