In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and economic panic, one local farm director is doing her level best to keep food on the table in the Jane-Finch community. Leticia Deawuo of the Black Creek Community Farm leapt into action when she saw the empty shelves in local supermarkets. She thought of the elderly ladies who attend the farm’s programs, community “aunties” as they are lovingly referred to, and wondered how they would fare if they didn’t have the means to stockpile resources as others have been doing. From this the BCCF Emergency Food Box Initiative was born.

Now a blooming partnership with FoodShare Toronto, the initiative was born out of an idea and a few dollars to spare. Staff set aside a small budget and began to prepare boxes. They were wholly unprepared for just how popular and widespread what they were beginning was going to be. Having reached 2000 requests, the farm had to temporarily suspend taking requests out of such high demand, and put out a call out for donations to meet the demands.

The planning and facilitation of the program has been far from easy. Social distancing and amped up hygiene measures make execution even more difficult.

“The community has been willing to help. I’ve been getting calls from people offering to volunteer and unfortunately we cannot accept.” Leticia laughed, recanting the hardships involved. “One of the most difficult things has been the admin work. Luckily FoodShare has been very instrumental in keeping things together.”

Dedicated as Leticia is to providing aid to those in need, she knows that charity does not nearly go far enough.

“Government response to this crisis needs to do more. You should not have to own a house right now to get a break. A lot of people are one paycheque away from disaster. It’s always the ones who suffer most with inequity who are hit hardest during these times, but if there was anything I would want everyone to know it would be that as a community, we are here. Here in Jane and Finch, people have always taken care of each other in difficult times, and this one is no different.”