Our Model
Our programs change lives. At The Stop, good nutritious food is a gateway to deeper connection. Most people walk through our door for a meal, but once here, find their lives changed through the empowerment and belonging that arises from extended engagement in our kitchens, gardens, or through the mutual support of peer advocacy.
Our community work is done with the mentality of “nothing about us without us”, meaning that we take direction from our service users. We survey their needs, supports, and public policy priorities to inform the strategic direction of the organization. Additionally, we believe that – while it is important to provide emergency food access and other services – these services do not truly address the long-term systemic barriers many people in our community face. Inadequate social assistance rates, working poverty, inflation, and marginalization all work against our neighbours. We aim to provide immediate services but also focus on the long-term impacts we can make in regard to public policy.
The Stop seemed like my little piece of heaven. I felt welcomed, cared for, and uplifted. I was inspired to work with my community. I didn’t know exactly how, but I knew that The Stop would be the place to start.
Ani, Healthy Beginnings program participant
Our Mission
The Stop strives to increase access to healthy food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds health and community, and champions equity.
From our origins as one of Canada’s first food banks in the 1980’s, The Stop has blossomed into a thriving community hub where neighbours participate in a broad range of programs that provide healthy food, foster social connections, build food skills, and promote civic engagement.
We believe that nutritious, sustainable, and culturally appropriate food is a human right for all. Throughout our 40-year history, The Stop Community Food Centre has shown how the simple act of bringing people together around food can be a catalyst for change. We’ve seen how growing, cooking, and sharing good food can transform a person’s health, bolster a community’s sense of identity, and even deepen the connections we feel to each other on a global scale. We believe that when we connect this work to an understanding of how racism and oppression impact our ability to eat, grow, live, and thrive, we can reimagine a society that’s truly grounded in food and economic justice.
It’s more important than ever for us to look after each other — especially those who have always been the most at-risk in our community.
Monica, Community Chef
Our Values
– Embody Inclusion
We are welcoming, inclusive, and
barrier-free.
– Build Community
We build community through food.
– Create Pathways
We collaborate to deliver programs
and services that meet our diverse
community needs.
– Respect Everyone
We treat everyone with dignity and
respect.
– Be Accountable
We operate with integrity and
transparency.
– Advocate for Change
We use our resources to champion
the voices of our community.
If The Stop didn’t exist, there would be a big void in the community.
Community Member
Our Services
We have three locations. At 1884 Davenport Road, we provide frontline services to our community, including a drop-in meal program, healthy food bank, perinatal supports, peer advocacy, good food markets, and community kitchens.
Our Green Barn is located inside Wychwood Barns at 601 Christie Street. It’s a sustainable food production and education centre that houses a state-of-the-art greenhouse, a sheltered garden, community bake oven, and compost demonstration center—along with our year-round Farmers’ Market.
The Stop’s Wychwood Open Door at 729 St. Clair West is our newest location. It’s a daytime drop-in centre that brings community members together around good food and enriching activities.