We are the Meals Matter team and we work towards understanding the effects of food insecurity in different communities. Through a background in child and youth care, we work from perspectives which are youth centered, anti-oppressive and trauma informed.

We aim to find ways to prevent food insecurity, through the facilitation of after school programs and other recreational activities. Our program believes that food should be valued and not taken for granted. Our goal is not only to provide food to the youth that we work with but also educate them on the benefits of it as well.

In order to carry out our mission, we engage ourselves in research practices. Constantly educating ourselves allows for us to carefully understand the needs of children and youth.

Focus Question: How does food insecurity impact children's social and emotional well-being?

We are a group of university students, who are inspired by social innovation and believe that if change can happen, let it start with us.

Our initiative aims to encourage other people to get involved in their own communities. Us being able to go out into the community and connect with individuals who are so close to us is important as we believe that charity begins at home.

Many initiatives have come before us and we are inspired by the work that they do. Programs such as Meals on Wheels, can provide food at an affordable price for individuals with disabilities, suffering from illness or those who need special dietary planning. This initiative truly has inspired us, and we hope to be able to elevate our initiative to the extent where we can financially support programs to provide food with meaningful intent behind it. We also took inspiration from the Covenant House. In regards to research the Covenant House can be seen to conduct research at ground level, in order to ensure that their practices are ethical and practical to the population they are working amongst. Their advocacy efforts work at all levels of government have been able to push important issues forward and create an impact on the lives of many youth.

Understand the impact food can have on the lives of children and youth

Create an impact with the message we share, when conducting a site visit

Take the voices of the youth back through a collection of input

Promote the idea of healthy eating through the provision of healthy food options.

To convey an understanding of how accessibility is important to remove barriers to participation

Self-Awareness: Recognizing our own biases and assumptions about food insecurity helps to shape our interactions with young people

Curating Relationships: Building trust with children, families, educators, and community members to create supportive environments where food can be shared without stigma or shame

Anti-Oppressive Practice: Acknowledging and addressing systemic barriers that disproportionately affect marginalized groups, particularly those coming from low-income and racialized communities (Garfet et al, 2018).

This project aims to address food insecurity and support children within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) by promoting access to healthy snack programs in after-school settings. Many children rely on these programs as a vital source of food, and for some, as the only access to nutritious sustenance in their day.

By integrating these principles into the project’s framework, we can create a more just and sustainable solution to food insecurity – one that not only meets the immediate nutritional needs of children, while promoting respect and empowerment.

This initiative aims to transform after-school programs into inclusive spaces where food security is prioritized, nutritional diversity is embraced, and children can thrive without the barriers of exclusion or hunger.

This project addresses the critical issue of food insecurity, which impacts child development, mental stability, and daily experiences. Taking a Trauma-Informed Approach, it recognizes that food insecurity goes beyond food, emphasizing nutritious, culturally affirming meals while challenging discriminatory practices of food .

We have seen food programmings being effective in a young persons lives before. The Boys and Girls Club (BGC) is located across the GTA. Within each location BGC has a range of different programming. At BGC’s Dovercourt location, they have an Teaching Garden. This is a year-round program that is promotes sustainable living and environmental education. Young people enrolled in this program are inspired to talk about growing their own food, understand the importance of plants, and create sustainable communities (BGC Dovercourt Club, n.d.). They additionally have a Garden to Table program which allows participants to experiment with different ingredients to create recipes (BGC Dovercourt Club, n.d.). This is a hands-on experience and gives practical supports for food preparation that young people can integrate into their own lives.

Once this project is completed, one of the potential outcomes will be a deeper understanding of how food impacts the well-being of children and youth in various environments (i.e., school, residential, medical, community, etc). Not only, when young people recieive access to nutrious meals, they are better equipped to focus on tasks, experience fewer health issues, and develop healthy habits. Because our program and our partnership are situated within spaces affected by poverty, unemployment, incarceration (BGC Toronto Kiwanis., n.d.), for instance, we want to include ways for people to rethink food waste as a resource (Lazell, 2016).

As CYC practitioners, we also hope that the intended outcome for participants includes the development of practical life skills and self-sufficiency. Another potential product of this project is the development of best practices or guidelines for integrating food into child and youth programming. Furthermore, the project may lead to partnerships with community organizations that can continue to provide food-related programming, ensuring sustainability beyond the initial implementation.

The cost of afterschool programs varies depending on the school the young person attends. Prices can range from $17 per day to $40 for the entire year (BGC Toronto Kiwanis., n.d.). It is crucial to explore additional methods to make these programs more accessible, especially for those who are responsible for providing food and support to the children. This might include offering subsidies, government funding, adjusting schedules, or exploring community partnerships to reduce financial barriers.

We have seen food programmings being effective in a young persons lives before. The Boys and Girls Club (BGC) is located across the GTA. Within each location BGC has a range of different programming. At BGC’s Dovercourt location, they have an Teaching Garden. This is a year-round program that is promotes sustainable living and environmental education. Young people enrolled in this program are inspired to talk about growing their own food, understand the importance of plants, and create sustainable communities (BGC Dovercourt Club, n.d.). They additionally have a Garden to Table program which allows participants to experiment with different ingredients to create recipes (BGC Dovercourt Club, n.d.). This is a hands-on experience and gives practical supports for food preparation that young people can integrate into their own lives.