As part of the ongoing response to COVID-19, and to ensure that residents in Scarborough have access to food, the City of Toronto, GlobalMedic and the University of Toronto Scarborough launched CARES – Collective Action and Response for Everyone in Scarborough.
CARES will be packaging food at the University of Toronto Scarborough’s Highland Hall Events Centre. The food, supplied by GlobalMedic, will be distributing to food banks across Scarborough.
CARES is one of the many programs that came to fruition after the City launched a robust plan to address the ongoing need for emergency food security during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the City has been working closely with community and corporate partners to ensure that residents have access to food and to address food security gaps in vulnerable communities
City of Toronto staff along with University of Toronto Scarborough staff volunteers helped launch the program, which has a daily output of 1,000 pounds of food. Over the coming weeks, City of Toronto staff will return to their regular duties and will transition food packaging to volunteer staff and students from University of Toronto Scarborough and community volunteers.
CARES is spearheaded by the David McAntony Gibson Foundation, which operates as GlobalMedic, a registered Canadian charity that has provided disaster relief and life-saving humanitarian aid since 2002.
Today, Mayor John Tory, Councillor for Scarborough-Rouge Park, Jennifer McKelvie, and Member of Parliament for Scarborough–Rouge Park, Gary Anandasangaree had the opportunity to tour the facility.
Community members interested in volunteering to help package food can register to volunteer at utsc.utoronto.ca/partnerships/cares-utsc. To donate products or funds to support the City’s COVID-19 relief and recovery, residents and businesses can visit the DonateTO webpage, toronto.ca/business-economy/partnerships-sponsorships-donations/donate.
Residents are encouraged to call 211 or visit 211toronto.ca for more information on available community food programs that are available to them.
Quotes:
“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many of our food banks had to shut down overnight. We have worked to open food banks so that residents who need them have access to food across the city, including in Scarborough. CARES is one way in which we can serve a specific community that needs help during these challenging times. This is an inspiring partnership that has been formed to help people and I want to thank GlobalMedic, University of Toronto Scarborough, City of Toronto staff and the many volunteers who helped bring this initiative to fruition.”
– Mayor John Tory
“Scarborough CARES is another great example of our institutions, students and residents mobilizing to help each other. No one should have to face hunger. I’m proud that this partnership between GlobalMedic, the University of Toronto Scarborough, and the City of Toronto takes us a step closer to ensuring all Scarborough residents have access to food during COVID-19.”
– Councillor Jennifer McKelvie, Scarborough-Rouge Park (Ward 25)
“Food insecurity is an ongoing issue in our community and it is important that we work together to tackle it. Through this partnership, U of T Scarborough is able to play a part in providing some relief and dignity to many of our neighbors, particularly those whose circumstances have become even more challenging because of this pandemic. As an anchor institution, we always welcome collaborations that enable us to live our values every day.”
– Wisdom Tettey, Principal, University of Toronto Scarborough, Vice-President, University of Toronto
“The COVID-19 pandemic challenges all of us to take better care of each other. CARES leverages GlobalMedic’s international expertise with University of Toronto Scarborough’s role as Scarborough’s anchor institution, and the City of Toronto’s leadership to address food insecurity in our city. I encourage our residents to support CARES by either donating their time or money. Together, we will defeat COVID-19.”
– Member of Parliament Gary Anandasangaree, Scarborough–Rouge Park
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