Statistics

Why the need?

Davenport West is one of the poorest communities in Toronto. This is largely due to stagnant and decreasing incomes (social assistance rates that don't reflect the cost of living, a low minimum wage and a loss of well-paying jobs) and increasing costs (high rents and rising food prices). Given this context, it's not surprising that thousands of people in our community struggle to put food on their table each day.

Food and Income

• The average monthly household income of a Stop community member is $1,049.

    The average monthly household income for an average Torontonian is $5,760

   Over 66% of Stop users are spending well over 30% of their income on rent compared

   to only 29% of the Toronto population.

   The median after-rent income of a Stop food bank user is $3.26 per day

• 50% of food bank recipients go hungry at least a couple of days each week

• 38% of food bank users are working, but still need to turn to a food bank for support

Food and Health

• 42% of food bank recipients rated their health as fair or poor. Of middle income

    earners, only 10% say their health is fair or poor

• The link between poverty and diet-related illnesses such as diabetes, cancer and heart
    disease is irrefutable.

• Davenport West is a severely under-serviced community with little opportunity for social

    interaction between certain residents such as the relatively large population who have

    recently arrived in Canada (within the last 5 years).

• The cost of the Nutritious Food Basket, an annual price comparison of 66 foods, has

    increased 13% over the past five years; a period in which low-income families saw their

    purchasing power reduced by 9.7%.

Food and Agriculture

• It is difficult and expensive to buy local, fresh, chemical-free food.

• People are eager to grow their own food yet lack the knowledge, confidence and access

to land.

There is no question that our community-based food programs have an enormous positive impact on the health and well being of our community.