Gordon Neighbourhood House Distributes $60,000 in Emergency Food Aid in the Wake of COVID-19

Good Food Access Fund Grant will help neighbours improve food security.

Vancouver, BC, July 24th, 2020—Gordon Neighbourhood House is pleased to announce it has received a grant of $60,000 from Community Food Centres Canada’s Good Food Access Fund. The grant will enable Gordon Neighbourhood House to support hundreds of neighbours in need so they can access nutritious food during these challenging times. Funding is provided in part by the Government of Canada’s Local Food Infrastructure Fund, as part of the Food Policy for Canada. The Fund aims to strengthen food systems and facilitate access to safe and nutritious food for at-risk populations. Gordon Neighbourhood House staff identified gaps in existing COVID-19 emergency programs, and distributed grocery store gift cards directly to West End families and neighbours.

“This is an outstanding initiative,” said Gordon Neighbourhood House Executive Director Siobhan Powlowski, “We’re very grateful to receive The Good Food Access Fund Grant, and amplify our food security work in the neighbourhood. As a result of this funding, hundreds of West End neighbours and families will be able to choose the food they need in a safe, and dignified way.”

“Food insecurity was already an urgent problem before the COVID-19 crisis, with one in 8 Canadians struggling to put food on the table. In a time of national crisis, it is in our nature as Canadians to do what we can for our most vulnerable neighbours. We are grateful to the Government of Canada for their quick response, as well as the many corporate partners and generous donors who have stepped forward” says Nick Saul, CEO of Community Food Centres Canada. “The Good Food Access Fund aims to make sure that as many people as possible will be able to get the food that they need. And while we must deal with the current circumstances, CFCC remains committed to advancing policy change that addresses the underlying causes of food insecurity and poverty in Canada. We can’t forget that structural inequity is at the core of so many of the challenges that Canadians face, a fact which painfully confronts us when an emergency like this occurs.”

Gordon Neighbourhood House has served as a community hub in Vancouver’s West End since 1942. As a place-based community organization, we work alongside neighbours and partners to foster a dynamic and diverse neighbourhood where everyone is empowered to play a role in their community. Learn more at gordonhouse.org, and follow us at @gordonnhouse on Instagram and @GordonNeighbourhoodHouse on Facebook.

Media Contact: Siobhan Powlowski, Executive Director; siobhan@gordonhouse.org or (604) 683-2554

Community Food Centres Canada Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC) builds health, belonging and social justice in low-income communities through the power of food. We work with 13 Community Food Centres and 183 Good Food Organizations in 175 communities across Canada. Our Good Food Access Fund was established to provide emergency relief during this time of national crisis to our most vulnerable neighbours. Learn more at cfccanada.ca or follow @aplaceforfood.

Media contact: Juniper Locilento, Chief Development & Communications Officer; juniper@cfccanada.ca or (416) 576-2561