Cfccanada

Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC) operates as a national non-profit organization aiming to address food insecurity and poverty in low-income communities. Founded in September 2012 by Nick Saul and a group of colleagues, the organization was born from the success of The Stop Community Food Centre in Toronto. Saul, a long-time food and social justice activist, transformed The Stop from a standard food bank into a comprehensive community food center, a model he then sought to replicate nationwide through CFCC. His background as a community organizer, working with public housing tenants and homeless individuals, deeply informed the organization's approach.

CFCC's operational model is distinct from that of a traditional food bank. The organization functions as a public foundation, providing funding, resources, and a proven program model to partner organizations across Canada to establish and run their own Community Food Centres. This network of centers moves beyond emergency food provision to create welcoming spaces that use food as a tool for building health, skills, community belonging, and social justice. The centers offer diverse programs, including community kitchens and gardens, food skills workshops, and shared meals in dining halls that foster social connection and reduce isolation. CFCC and its partners serve a broad range of individuals facing financial hardship, including those on social assistance and the working poor.

As a registered charity, CFCC's revenue is derived from public donations and grants from foundations such as the Lawson Foundation and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. A significant part of its work involves advocacy for systemic policy changes to address the root causes of poverty. The organization actively campaigns for enhanced income support programs, such as the Canada Working-Age Supplement and improvements to disability benefits, positing that income, rather than a lack of food, is the primary driver of food insecurity. Through its Good Food Organizations program, CFCC also supports a wider network of community food security organizations with grants, training, and resources, extending its impact to hundreds of communities nationwide.

Keywords: food security, community development, social justice, poverty reduction, non-profit, food policy advocacy, community health, social services, community kitchens, food skills, urban agriculture, anti-poverty, income support, community gardening, healthy food access, social inclusion, grassroots organization, national charity, community empowerment, policy change