On today’s episode we report on a local Cabbagetown initiative by St. Luke's United Church, the Cabbagetown BIA, and Dixon Hall to provide a free weekly hot meal in Allan Gardens.

On February 11, 2021 when RPTV visited the sited, Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam was also present as were the organizers Rev. Jim Keenan (St Luke’s United Church) and Rick Mathers (ED Cabbagetown BIA). Councillor Wong-Tam explained that the City of Toronto has increased funding and additional resources to community partners to expand their capacity to reach out to vulnerable communities. The Councillor also spoke about some of the long-term solutions that were in the progress to deal with homelessness, like building affordable housing, and providing the supports for people who cannot live independently; but need some type of assisted living.

In Toronto’s downtown East side, neighbourhoods like Regent Park, Moss Park, Cabbagetown, St. Jamestown, and Church and Wellesley where there were already high levels of low-income people, homeless, those with complex health and mental health issues, and substance dependency issues, the pandemic and winter months have only exacerbated their daily lives. Access to food, shelter, and health services have been drastically affected. And While the City of Toronto has really expanded its response in this emergency, so too have private citizens and local businesses.

Rev. Jim Keenan, who is perhaps the originator of the program, said he got the idea in December of 2020, and was then able to access a small grant and coupled some other donations was able  to pay local businesses to provide the lunches.

Cabbagetown Cares is an example how local communities are forming grassroots responses to the COVID-19 pandemic by mobilizing partnerships and resources to meet the needs of our most vulnerable communities. The program seeks to “provide 100 healthy, well-balanced lunches for our most vulnerable residents while also supporting our local small business community.”  For the website for Cabbagetown Cares, go here .