Organizing
Food First NL continued its organizing efforts at the provincial and regional levels throughout 2023. We led and participated in collective action networks in Atlantic Canada and N.L. We also began our next phase of Rethinking Food Charity work — supporting food programs as they transform. Organizing also requires communication. Our blog and newsletter continued as reliable resources for up-to-date information.
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Networks for Collective Action
Community Food Centres Canada Poverty Action Unit
Last year, we stepped into an exciting new organizing role in the Atlantic Region. Alongside Community Food Centres Canada and other regional networks, we were tasked with organizing and supporting an Atlantic Regional Network for federal-level advocacy on food insecurity. Although we’re early in the process, we’ve begun reaching out to other organizations in Atlantic Canada that are also working in this space. In 2024 we’re focused on building strong relationships and working across the region to advocate for the needs of our communities and create change at the federal level.
Basic Income NL
In 2023, Food First NL played a leading role in organizing for basic income. We led Basic Income NL and were part of Basic Income Atlantic and Coalition Canada. Basic Income NL submitted a proposal to the All-Party Committee on Basic Income and held regular calls for advocates. We also voiced our support for a basic income pilot in P.E.I. and our staff helped arrange meetings for advocates across Atlantic Canada. Looking ahead to 2024, we're eager see recommendations from the All-Party Committee on Basic Income and track the progress in P.E.I.
Food Security Working Group
Food First NL co-chairs the provincial Food Security Working Group with the Government of NL. This group connects government officials, food organizations, and others to tackle food security issues. In 2023, the group revamped its structure, welcoming many new members to the discussion and focusing more on strategic planning. Meetings often feature presentations from guest speakers, sharing important data and insights. Moving forward into 2024, the Working Group plans to meet monthly and bring in even more members from across the province.
Food Charity Programs
Rethinking Food Charity
Rethinking Food Charity was a year-long process of consulting with people with Lived Experience of food insecurity, food charity staff and volunteers, and community members. In 2023 we released a final report that summarized what we heard and provided 23 recommendations for the food charity sector, government, and systems-level organizations.
The final report ended the project’s first phase and began its next. In June, we began work to support changes in the food charity sector. Since then, we’ve heard feedback from and worked with numerous food charity programs to identify priority areas and implement the Rethinking Food Charity recommendations. We’re excited to continue this work in 2024.
2023 Project Highlights
Launching the final report, which is organized around six core themes: Accessibility, Stigma and Dignity, Choice, Collaboration, Advocacy, and Income Solutions
Holding an in-depth webinar to review each recommendation for the food charity sector.
Hosting our first implementation webinar on shared service standards for the food charity sector
“While the change might not happen tomorrow, I believe it will happen and I’m glad to have played a role in creating positive change.”
Madi Hynes, Alison Bennett-James, and Josh Smee at the launch of the Rethinking Food Charity report.
Extending Our Gratitude
Alison Bennett-James, who began Rethinking Food Charity and laid the foundations for its latest phase
Everyone with Lived and Living Experience of poverty and food insecurity, whose invaluable stories and expertise continue to shape our work
Learn More
Rethinking Food Charity’s final report, including results and recommendations.
Interview with Radio-Canada on what we heard and our recommendations (FR).
Community Food Helpline
Food First NL’s Community Food Helpline service ended in March 2023. Throughout its nearly three years of operations, Helpline staff responded to more than 12,200 requests and distributed more than $500,000 in aid.
By late 2022, it became clear that the Helpline’s program model wasn’t sustainable. The Helpline was built as an emergency service to fill gaps between other social supports. However, the demand for the service surged as the cost-of-living crisis continued. Wait times grew to seven or more weeks, and there was no clear pathway to sustained funding. The Helpline no longer fulfilled its purpose as an emergency response or met the needs of the service users.
You can read more about our decision on our blog.
We’re advocating for certain services that the Helpline used to offer, like delivery, to keep going and for desperately needed improvements to our social safety net. These improvements are the only real solution to the need we saw through the Helpline.
Our Helpline Partners
None of this work could have been possible without our many partners, including:
SeniorsNL — provided extensive database and call-management support
Jimmy Pratt Foundation — co-founded the line and began the direct aid program (e.g. deliveries and gift cards)
Hungry Heart Cafe — provided meal kits
Fonemed/811 — provided service integration
211 — took over service navigation and provided extensive data support
Local Wellness Collective — served as the Helpline’s delivery partner in the Metro St. John’s area, completing more than 6,800 deliveries during the life of the service
Food Systems Communications
A core goal for Food First NL is to provide ample, accurate, timely, and accessible information about our food systems. We aim to be a reliable source of information about the many conversations about our food systems and the right to food.
We know it can be a lot to stay on top of, especially when things are happening quickly (like during report season!). That’s why we doubled down on summarizing N.L. data from key reports in our blog (like PROOF’s food insecurity report and Food Banks Canada’s Poverty Report Card) and using our monthly newsletter to summarize what we’ve heard throughout the month. We also responded to 98 media requests on our programs and advocacy topics.
Looking to 2024, we’re excited to hear more from our Regional Food Animators and stay on top of what’s happening across N.L. and beyond.