Household Food Insecurity among Aboriginal Family

Presented by: Annie Dan Cheng; Kelly Li Yin; Wenping Liang; Xiangxian Zhou; Shiwen Lin; Rong Han; Chen Ouyang

1. Introduction- Annie Cheng

2. Questions and findings- Kelly Li Yin, Wenping Liang, Xiangxian Zhou, Shiwen Lin, Rong Han, and Chen Ouyang

3. Action plan and follow up plan-Ouyang Chen

4. Presentation of face book page- Kelly Li

5. Question?

Agenda

According to WHO, Food Insecurity means: “When all people at all times don’t have reliable access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life”.(WHO, Food insecurity)

Our group has identified that the issue of household food insecurity among Aboriginal families caused by poverty in Toronto as our advocacy project.

Define the issue:

Statistics and Reports:Government:

According to Health Canada: “Among off-reserve Aboriginal households, approximately one in five (20.9%) households was food insecure, including 8.4% with severe food insecurity. These rates are approximately three times higher than among non-Aboriginal households where 7.2% were food insecure, including 2.5% with severe food insecurity. ”(Health Canada, 2012, Aboriginal status)

Organizations:

A recent report published by PROOF in 2014, stating that Aboriginal families experience higher rate of food insecurity in Canada. 28.2% of aboriginal families suffer inadequate food in comparing to 12.6% in Canada overall. (PROFF, 2014)

Questions and Findings

Resource of chart: Health Canada, Household food insecurity in Canada by selected socio-demographic characteristics, 2007-2008)

How Aboriginal Population is Distributed

Reasons for Moving to Toronto

Satisfaction of Life

Conclusion

Aboriginal Population Distribution

2006 Census

1,172,785 in Canada, 3.8% of the whole

In Canada, majority is North America Indian

Ontario has largest aboriginal group, 20.7% of all Canadian

In GTA, children & youth in aboriginal ＞ in non-aboriginal

Aboriginal women ＞ aboriginal men

70,000 in city of Toronto

How Aboriginal Population is Distributed

Urban Aboriginal Peoples Study Toronto

Report

Top Reasons for Moving to Toronto

42% aboriginals employment

38% education

37% close to families

40% city life, leave from family troubles, job

promotion

Reasons for Moving to Toronto

Urban Aboriginal Peoples Study Toronto

Report

Like Living in Toronto

67% like- services, agencies, institutions;

- entertainment

- social acceptance

11% not like- pollution, living space, traffic,

living cost, vegetation

Satisfaction of Life

• basic statistic understanding

• population of women & children ＞non-aboriginals

• expensive living cost

• donate food

• facebook

Conclusion

This is what I found out from my research:

First Nations children under 6 years of age were more than three times as likely to be raised by young parents between the ages of 15 and 24 years old than other Canadians.

They were also more than three times more likely to live with a single parent as compared to other Canadian children.

“What are some reasons that cause the issue?”

They were more likely to have larger families than other Canadians.

Young average age of new mothers and their increased likelihood to be single parents.

Young single parent face challenges related to education and employment

“What are some reasons that cause the issue?” -continued

One in FOUR Aboriginal children in Canada is growing up in poverty.

31% of Aboriginal children aged fourteen and under lived with a single parent.

Children with single parent most like to live in low incomes families and are more likely to be unable to purchase healthy food.

Aboriginal Families issues

More than half of First Nations children are either overweight or obese and are at risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and other conditions as they get older.

In 2004, the rate of obesity among First Nations children under 12 years of age was more than

four times the Canadian rate. Communities have seen increases in type 2 diabetes in children.

Impacts of health and well-being

Hungry children are more likely to get colds and viruses, to have a compromised immune system, to have anemia, sore stomachs and headaches.

Food insecurity is linked to a number of mental health issues including low self-esteem, inability to concentrate, shame, moodiness and behavioral problems.

Suffering hunger is also linked to lack of success in school. One key informant reported that about half of hunger children have early literacy and speech delay issues as well as behavioral issues.

Impacts of health and well-being - continued

Food insecurity in Aboriginal child family is not just one community’s matter; it is our social issue because there is still a very high population rate of Aboriginal people whom lives in Canada. These people’s well-being yet will impact on our society’s development.

Impact to our society

When does the issue start How the issue work on First Nations Where does those happen What policies include in it How does agencies works on Manitoba How does the policy and legislation affect

the action plan

Policies and legislation are made by federal, provincial and local government.

Start at 1970s The first formal agreement that

government’s provision of child and family service

First agency in Manitoba It ran by First Nation and Indian and funded,

by Northern Affairs Canada The lack of policy for household and well-

being for safety of children

When does the issue start and how it works on First Nations

In Manitoba Four agencies provides full service: placing

household, finding job, solving family issue, providing foods and security

The legislation is necessary for regulate the First Nations child and family service provider.

75% of the aboriginal child and family supported by government regulation service provider

83% in Ontario, 98% in Manitoba

Where does it happen and what include in it.

only providing food or money are not enough for these First Nation child and family

-needs for helping First Nations child and family has to be developed in the professional and official standard

-using social support to gain more focus to food and security of aboriginal people

How does policies and legislation affect the action plan

Who are supporting the issue

City of Toronto: Aboriginal Nutrition program Based on the Ontario government funds ,it

provides "Aboriginal children and families living on and off reserves nutrition and healthy lifestyle education and counseling, food and menu ?

Ontario Federation of Indian friendship centre

Vision: Improve the quality of life for Aboriginal http://www.ofifc.org/

Sarnia-Lambton Food Coalitionhttp://www.sarnialambtonfoodcoalition.com/

Location 156 Galloway Road, Toronto ON M1E 1X2

MAP Telephone: 416.286.9449 · Fax:

416.286.9925

Native Child and Family ServicesScarborough Aboriginal Family Life Centre

Community kitchen program For family with infants 0-6 months.

Participants will learn traditional teachings and learn to cook cost effective nutrition meals

Create their own recipe booklet.

Native Child and Family ServicesScarborough Aboriginal Family Life Centre

Meal and nutrition program Nutrition meals provided daily. On Monday Culture night come out and

volunteer to help prepare the food for community

Native Child and Family ServicesScarborough Aboriginal Family Life Centre

Get all stakeholders involved Children Family Aboriginal community GovernmentsOur group member working on the issue and

find some possible solutions to solve the issue

What are solutions to solve this issue

Letter to the agency – Scarborough Child & Family Life Centre

-- identify and address the issue of household food insecurity among aboriginal families

-- make an appointment to visit the centre

Create a Facebook page -- define the issue, post statistics and relevant report

about the issue from authorities

--intended to address the issue and raise public’s awareness

-- use multimedia artifact to grab public’s attention and gain their support

Link to our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/aboriginalchildren

Our Advocacy Action Plan:

Agency visiting: Native Child and Family Services of Toronto

Food donated to the children in this agency upon arrival

Our target audience:City of Toronto

Ministry of Education

Child Care Centers

Aboriginal Communities

Aboriginal Families

Our key message:

Make sure every child has breakfast;

Everyone can make difference!

By 2015 the city of Toronto will make sure the right of Aboriginal children to have adequate and healthy breakfast is fulfilled every day.

Goal of our action plan

Will participate in national Aboriginal nutrition program – Canadian Feed The children

Make a visit

Find out what we can do to better help

Support the national Aboriginal nutrition program

Follow up Plan after the Presentation

Thank you!

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Common menu bar links. (2012, July 25). Household Food Insecurity in Canada in 2007-2008: Key Statistics and Graphics. Retrieved March 6, 2014, from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/surveill/nutrition/commun/insecurit/key-stats-cles-2007-2008-eng.php

JUST RELEASED: Household Food Insecurity in Canada, 2012. (n.d.). PROOF. Retrieved March 6, 2014, from http://nutritionalsciences.lamp.utoronto.ca/just-released-household-food-insecurity-in-canada-2012/City of Toronto. (1998-2013). Toronto's Racial Diversity. From http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_facts/diversity.htm

Environics Institute. (2010). Urban Aboriginal Peoples Study Toronto Report. From http://www.uaps.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/UAPS-Toronto-report.pdf

http://previous.presstv.ir/photo/20130621/reportint20130621093947030.jpg

http://shambhalatimes.org/files/2013/03/Saskatchewan_First_Nations_Children_at_Wanuskewin_Heritage_Park_staring_into_camera.jpg

http://frenchletters.wordpress.com/2007/11/13/french-junk-food/

http://www.domybooks.ie/2011/02/cheap-accountants/

http://livingvegan.blogspot.ca/2009/04/fast-food-list.html

Social determination of health, 2009. The Nutrition Habits of Métis Children and Youth Canada: a Preliminary Examination. Retrieve from:

http://nccah.netedit.info/docs/fact%20sheets/child%20and%20youth/Nutritional%20Habits%20Metis%20Children,%20%20Youth%20%

8English%29.pdf

Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centers. (2003). Child hunger and food insecurity among urban Aboriginal families

Why am I poor? 2012. First Nation Children Toronto, Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.beststart.org/resources/anti_poverty/pdf/WhyAmIPoor.pdf

Departmental Audit and Evaluation Branch, March 2007, Evaluation of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program    

From http://www.aadncaandc.gc.ca/eng/1332357041519/1332357117051#sec3

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Modified in 2013-11-14, Backgrounder: First Nation Child and Family Services Information Management System From http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1384451489158/1384451533138