By: Annie C.
Growing up, my schools would hold food drives around Thanksgiving or Christmas to support a local food bank. The lesson was simple: we should give people food so they won’t go hungry. This was further reinforced when I got involved with Harvest Corner, a ministry we used to have at ET that organized bake sales to fundraise for St. Jude’s food bank. In recent years, I have come to learn that it isn’t that simple. Food banks can unintentionally perpetuate stigma and dependency. Nor do food banks address the root cause of food insecurity: poverty.
Digging deeper into the research, policy proposals, and pilot programs was really challenging. I had a hard time reconciling decades of research and anecdotal evidence with what I had grown up believing. It started to feel like every non-profit organization was “bad” and it was hard to engage with others in a deeper conversation about ET’s involvement with St. Jude. But I had more learning to do.
Here’s where I’m at with this right now: food banks should not have to exist in Canada. Unfortunately, the reality of our socio-economic system necessitates them as they meet an immediate need that has been exacerbated by the pandemic. The Daily Bread Food Bank is reporting a 200% increase in new clients in Toronto alone. Supporting food banks is necessary but it’s not enough. Food insecurity is merely a symptom of poverty and here are some others:
We spoke to hundreds of Canadians about how food insecurity impacts their lives. They told us it’s about much more than food. Let’s tell our MPs it’s time to address the real causes of food insecurity. Visit https://t.co/qoArbESo3j to call or email your MP. #BeyondHunger pic.twitter.com/QhQgqxNIih
— CommunityFoodCentresCDA (@aplaceforfood) September 30, 2020
Scripture is filled with reminders to care for the marginalized, the “least of these,” the immigrants (think racialized communities). But it doesn’t stop at “feed the hungry.” “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.” (Isaiah 1:17, NIV) I think Jesus most clearly exemplifies this multi-dimensional approach to justice. In feeding and healing those who were seeking help, He teaches us to meet the practical needs in our communities. And by teaching us a new way to understand love and justice, He has called us to engage in our communities and question the status quo. If all we do is donate food, are we not then complacent, even complicit, to systemic racism and marginalization?
If, like me, you are supporting St. Jude, please take an extra step and go to Beyond Hunger and click on the orange “Take Action” button at the top right to auto-generate an email to your MP. If so many of us can support food banks, there’s enough wealth and civic will to advocate for a better social system.
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