Formation of the coalition
FJC work in 2001-2002
Members of the coalition
How the coalition works
Campaigns, events
Next open meeting
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What is the FJC? Formation of the coalition FJC work in 2001-2002 Members of the coalition How the coalition works Campaigns, events Next open meeting |
The Food Justice Coalition (FJC) is a coalition of grassroots food program providers and individuals concerned about food and hunger. The FJC:
Provides a united advocacy voice for people who are interested in the issues, but who are often not heard;
Promotes networking & education: finding ways to collaborate, share knowledge, and upgrade skills for food program providers;
Advocates at a municipal level;
And works across the broad range of food security program and issue areas, from income security to health/nutrition issues to farmland preservation.
The creation of the Food Justice Coalition was very tied to the development of the Food and Hunger Action Committee process. The Food and Hunger Action Committee, consisting of five city councillors, was constituted to explore the state of food and hunger issues in the City of Toronto. The committee produced two action reports, Phase I: Planting the Seeds and Phase II: The Growing Season - follow the link for the full reports www.city.toronto.on.ca/food_hunger/
The Growing Season contains thirty-eight recommendations of steps that the city can take to improve food access and food security in Toronto. Community input was gathered through a series of public consultations and through the input of a group of individuals and agencies who formed a reference group for the process.
The ad hoc coalition that was formed in order to organize the input of thousands of individuals and service providers into the process and to act as a reference group for FAHAC and city staff, worked together harmoniously across a variety of sectors and boundaries, and succeeded in mobilizing sectors of people to be involved that normally are not included in advocacy for action to build food security. However, while this constituted a step forward in involving grassroots program providers, especially during Committee hearings, there was no mechanism for keeping this group involved on an ongoing basis. The process of organizing input led to organizing a more permanent Food Justice Coalition.
The Food Justice Coalition officially formed on Nov 6, 2001 at our inaugural event at 519 Church Community Centre.
During our first year we have struggled to find a coalition structure that works, to find a way to incorporate both individuals and agencies, and to get by with almost no resources. In 2001-2002 we operated with a traditional structure- an elected 15-member steering committee and four active working groups: advocacy, education & training, Growing Season Report Implementation, and networking. In 2003 the coalition will move forward with an open-meeting based structure.
The FJC has developed a basic communications infrastructure — an email list (to sign-up send an email to jennifer@foodshare.net) which can be used for members to communicate with one another, to offer donations of resources or equipment, and to network as a coalition. Cris Jaw, with see saw art + design, volunteered her design services for the FJC logo and pamphlet and even facilitated getting free printing!
FJC co-sponsored a successful forum on community kitchen and other cooking programs, profiling local cooking program models, and offering organizers a chance to network
Advocacy, networking and education committees organized a forum "Farmers to Grow Food and Money to Buy it" to explore the two sides of food security: local farming issues (land use, farming viabililty) and income security (the need for people to have enough money to be able to purchase their own food). Partners from the Green Door Alliance and the Income Security Legal Clinic presented issues, put them in context, and talked about campaigns that are underway.
The advocacy committee organized several meetings that helped to draw in provincial partners and funders (e.g. OPHA, OSDC) to what became the Feed the Kids, Pay the Rent campaign in the city.
The Growing Season report had a recommendation for a permanent grant stream to support food security projects in the city. The FJC’s Growing Season Report Implementation subcommittee met regularly with City staff, FAHAC councillors, and offered deputations to support such a grant stream (among other recommendations that they were advocating for). Currently the City of Toronto is offering a one-time grant stream called the Food and Hunger Action Fund. The fund will provide one-time funding for small capital improvements and time-limited projects that can demonstrate how they will increase individual and community capacity and increase access to safe, affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food.
The FJC is uneasy about the source of the funds, which was given to the City for its Ontario Works placements, but are gratified that we have built internal alliances with city staff and councillors that led the city to spend part of the money on one of our recommendations. The Community and Neighborhood Services Committee has passed a resolution to make a permanent Food and Hunger Action grants stream once they have evaluated the impact of the current grants.
FJC members endorse the goal of the coalition to make food a right for everyone in Toronto. This commitment to food security is best described by the beliefs articulated in the Toronto Food Charter:
Every Toronto resident should have access to an adequate supply of nutritious, affordable and culturally-appropriate food.
Food security contributes to the health and well-being of residents while reducing their need for medial care.
Food is central to Toronto’s economy, and the commitment to food security can strengthen the food sector’s growth and development.
Food brings people together in celebrations of community and diversity and is an important part of the city’s culture.
The FJC uses consensus to make decisions about what direction we take. Yet due to the realities of organizations working on food security in the city- often underfunded and understaffed- it is challenging to have all members at the open meeting table at the same time. Thus, the FJC moves forward based on discussion at the six bi-monthly open meetings. FJC speaks on behalf of its members, yet members are not bound to the actions of the coalition if they were unable to participate in the discussion.
Organizations or other coalitions who seek endorsement of the FJC must bring a proposal to the next FJC open meeting. At that meeting the group may decide to endorse the proposal, to seek further input from members not present via email or to take another course of action.
In November 2002 at our World Food Day event, the FJC adopted a structure that we believe will provide for the maximum of democratic input, with the minimum of bureaucracy. The Food Justice Coalition will build upon a foundation of an open meeting structure. An open meeting is open to all members and prospective members. There will be 6 open meetings a year (every two months). The meetings will be at City Hall in order to improve access and visibility of FJC to City Councillors and their staff.
There will be a timed agenda with standing items for the four working group themes. The agenda will be set in advance by members emailing in agenda items before the open meeting to jennifer@foodshare.net . This will help us to clarify our goals and to be effective when we do meet. Ad hoc working groups will organize and dissolve as energy, interest and campaigns begin and end.
The FJC will come together once a year at our annual World Food Day event - usually on October 16th.
Membership in the FJC is open to all agencies, organizations, and individuals involved in hunger and food issues in Toronto. Current members include food banks, community gardens, church groups, health centres and housing co-ops.
Anyone who is interested in working to ensure that all Toronto residents have access to healthy food can become part of the coalition!
We encourage new members- agencies and individuals- to join at any time during the year. To join simply contact us!
Before you attend your first Food Justice Coalition open meeting please contact us so we will be able to bring you up to speed on the latest dialogue and work of the coalition.
Some of our goals for 2003 include:
identify some key training needs amongst FJC members and organize events to meet them
do more "matching" between resources/volunteers and FJC members
as requested work with City grants staff on helping to develop criteria for a food security grant stream
lend our support to advocacy campaigns like Pay the Rent & Feed the Kids that focus on reducing income inequality
letter campaign to Honourable Ernie Eves to advocate for social assistance rates so that they reflect the real costs of living and to reinstate rent control
AS OF DECEMBER 2005 THE COALITION IS NO LONGER MEETING REGULARLY. We do continue to contribute to World Food Day efforts and many FJC members are also members of the Toronto Food Policy Council