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Food Security

Oct 23, 2019 | 2:18 PM

Over four million Canadians, including over one million children are living in homes that do not have economic or physical access to enough safe nutritious food to meet their needs for an active and healthy life. This issue is larger than just food itself. Food security is dependant on the region’s job market, economic growth, affordable opportunities for education, affordable opportunities for business and agriculture, affordable housing, as well as the community’s proactive and supportive responses to the fluctuations of these factors.

The role of the modern Food Bank needs to change. Just handing out food baskets no longer meets the changing needs of our food bank participants. We need to build and sustain centralized food hubs; which are critical to food security in Medicine Hat. Not only are many modern food banks a safe, neutral place to receive food, they are also a place that assists with meal budgeting, community kitchens and meal planning, while creating essential partnerships with local businesses to reduce food waste. Our local Food Bank operates community food kitchens and community groups surrounding food security, this provides a safe place to connect with other resources or to just have the simple, but taken for granted, dignity of having a cup of coffee.

We are all susceptible to food insecurity. Think of your stability as a table with four legs. Imagine one leg is your job, another is your family, the third one is your health, and the fourth is your housing. You lose one leg and the table wobbles; you lose two and the table falls.

How can you help?

Donate to your local food bank or food hub and/or join the CHAT FOOD DRIVE.

Volunteer.

Write to or call your elected officials about food policy and advocate for food hub funding and food waste prevention initiatives.

Use your official and/or unofficial media platforms to educate others regarding the facts of food security.