REGENT PARK TV WEEKLY NEWS – (EP-54) Food Insecurity Reaches Record Levels in Downtown East

By Fred Alvarado Fred is a community journalist with FOCUS MEDIA ARTS CENTRE

Welcome to RPTV Weekly News Show Episode 54 (June 19th to June 26th). In this weekly news show hosted by RPTV reporters Fred Alvarado, Kedar Ahmed, Jabin Haque, and Victoria Nanetti, we present news that impacts on Toronto's Regent Park and the surrounding areas.

* Episode 54 features segments on:
* Report of Community Building Working Group Meeting on June 6th (01:47 min);
* 51 Division Neighborhood Officers meet with Regent Park Safety Network and community members on June 14th (05:17 min);
* Fight for Social Housing in Downtown East—Community Rally and March on June 10th (08:17 min);
* Toronto City Council appoints TCHC CEO Jag Sharma as Deputy City Manager, Development & Growth Services (13:03 min);
* Petition to deny request to amend the Zoning By-law to permit a tall building at 505-509 Parliament (13:39 min);
* Food Insecurity in Downtown East communities has reached crisis levels—Interview with Allan Gardens Food Bank Director Paul Uytenbogaart (14:57 min);
* Fred Victor celebrates Annual Fred’s Walk 2023 at Daniels Spectrum on June 2nd (23:33 min); Walk with Amal happens in Regent Park as part of Luminato Festival Toronto 2023 (29:03 min); Na-Me-Res Native Men’s Residence celebrates annual traditional Pow Wow with drummers and dancers (30:08 min);
* 505 Dundas TTC Service to be Suspended due to Broadview Station Construction starting June 18, 2023 (31:35 min);
* Events and Jobs in Regent Park (32:02 min).

Food Insecurity in Downtown East communities has reached crisis levels says Allan Gardens Food Bank Director. Household food insecurity continues to be an urgent issue among Downtown East communities and local food banks are seeing that firsthand.

For the past year, the Allan Gardens Food Bank that operates at Saint Luke’s United Church near Sherbourne and Carlton streets distributing food to people in need on Thursday and Friday afternoons, has seen a month-over-month increase of clients from the most vulnerable and high-density neighbourhoods in Toronto, including refugees, those experiencing homelessness, and the working poor.

Allan Gardens Food Bank Director Paul Uytenbogaart tells RPTV News that the demand for food in the downtown core has increased in record numbers in 2023 compared to the year before the pandemic.

“We’re concerned on how long can we maintain serving this increasingly growing number of people in the community from 155 a day to 550 a day, we will have to draw the line sometime. Food insecurity conversations always come back to a liveable income and affordable housing, means people can have a job and be able to afford food. Throwing money to food banks I don’t think that’s a solution. We stay focus on ensuring that the food we’re offering here is nutritious and balanced diet as much as we are able to and everybody who comes to the food bank walks away with food for 2 to 3 days”, said Paul Uytenbogaart.

Food insecurity is a global phenomenon. The root causes require a comprehensive approach that focuses on sustainable agriculture, poverty alleviation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, conflict resolution, and inclusive governance. Collaboration between governments, international organizations, NGOs, and local communities is crucial in tackling global food insecurity effectively.