Addressing hunger issues within

Durham Region through

Welcome to an evening to address local hunger issues

Tonight's dinner is a representation of how Durham Region residents eat

Hunger statistics show that 2.9% of Ontario residents utilized

area food banks in March 2008…that is 314,258 people (Ontario Association of Food Banks, 2009)

9% of people in Durham Region face hunger regularly…

that’s over 50,000 people(Feed The Need Durham, 2008)

This disproportionate number illustrates the dyer need

to look at what should be done to assist Durham residents.

Durham has 561,258 residents. Within this population:

• 32% of families have incomes over $100,000

• 46% of families have incomes between $40,000-$100,000

• 22% of families live below the poverty line of $40,000 for a family of four or $20,000 for a single person

(StatsCan, 2006)

1 in every 7 children in Durham Region go hungry.When children don’t have breakfast,

several outcomes result:

Their learning ability is impaired and problem solving abilities diminish by late morning.

Children who are left hungry are 7 times more likely to act out in negative ways.

(DCNP, 2011)

Canada is the only G8 country with no school lunch program (People’s Food Policy Project, 2011)

Reasons for Hunger

• Poor economy, unemployment, low pay – Single parents with children say they can’t afford daycare and work

(Szekely, 2008)

• Receiving social assistance as main income source, where median monthly income is $1000

• Cost of housing – unable to afford housing and food

• Type of households – single people historically have more financial issues than couples

(Daily Bread Food Banks, 2010)

Tonight’s dinner is a representation of how Durham residents eat.

You were all given a coloured card when you arrived this evening.

Each colour represents a corresponding statistic and will determine tonight's meal.

We have 180 dinner guests this evening…

•32% or 57 of you hold a green card. You will eat a meal representative of the highest income earners in Durham.

•26% or 83 of you hold a white card and your meal will represent the average income earners typical dinner.

•Lastly, 22% or 40 of you hold a red card and this evening, you will dine on a typical meal served at a soup kitchen.

Take some time this evening to reflect on your thoughts and emotions created by the meals you

are eating, while dining with people of other representational income groups.

Recognize, perhaps, the inequalities of the situation or how randomly the group was divided up.

Not everyone has the choice to alter there immediate circumstances.

Fighting hunger helps both individuals and communities.

Together we can change lives and transform communities.

Help us by choosing change….

Ways to Help Eradicate Hunger

• Donate time, money, food to local food banks and hunger groups

• Organize community events to raise awareness

• Petition government bodies to address this inequality

Tonight, we can unite further, by choosing change and signing the petition on the table in the back of the hall.

This petition is being prepared for the Provincial government to demand appropriate funding to help local communities, like Durham region to eradicate hunger.

For more information on how to help addressing hunger in our communities, please contact:

Feed The Need in Durham905-571-FTND (3863)http://www.ftndurham.ca

Thank you for participating in tonight's event, looking at hunger statistics in Durham Region.

Throughout the hall are brochures and further information to support the need for the local and provincial governments, to provide financial assistance.

Please take the opportunity to learn how each of us can make small changes to make huge differences in other’s lives.

We’d like to thank all our donors who made this event possible

Durham Farm Fresh – A local organization supporting farmers in securing local food sovereignty. They generously donated all of the fresh foods for the preparation of all the meals.

El Stavro's Steakhouse – For loaning us their fabulous Chef Mark to prepare all of the meals

Victorian Garden Banquet Hall – For donating the hall, tables, chairs, linens, dishes and flatware for this evening

Dickson Printing – For providing all our printing needs for the event, including the tickets, banners, posters and information sheets

CKDO, CityTV, Durham CHEX 10 – For advertising our event and highlighting the prevalence of hunger in Durham Region

References

Daily Bread Food Bank (2010) (DBFB). Who’s Hungry Report. Retrieved from http://www.dailybread.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/DBFB-0015-10WhosHungryReportFinalweb.pdf

Durham Children’s Nutrition Program (2011). Retrieved from http://www.dcnp.ca/index.aspx

Feed The Need Durham (n.d.) (FTND). Retrieved from http://www.ftndurham.ca/aboutus.3.php

Ontario Association of Food Banks (2009). Hunger Report 2008. Retrieved from http://www.oafb.ca/assets/pdfs/HungerReport2008.pdf

People’s Food Policy Project (2011). Why does Canada need a food policy? Retrieved from http://www.peoplesfoodpolicy.ca/why-does-canada-need-food-policy Szekely, R. (2008). Feeding the need in Durham. Retrieved from http://newsdurhamregion.com/news/durham/article/99919