What We Do

About Us

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.

Our Mission

The Stop strives to increase access to healthy food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds health and community, and challenges inequality.

Watch our video

Our Services

We have two 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 Artscape 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 centre—along with our year-round Farmers’ Market.

Our Scope

Communities from across the city and around the world took notice of The Stop’s powerful model, and in 2012 Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC) was launched to drive the development of community food centres based on The Stop across the country.

Today, The Stop and CFCC are two distinct, autonomous organizations who support each other’s work to advocate for healthier communities and more equitable social 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

Former Healthy Beginnings participant, and later, Stop staff member