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Food security funding - - Photo credit to Food Banks Canada

Food Security organizations across Canada will benefit from $100-million funding injection

Dec 18, 2020 | 1:45 PM

OTTAWA, ONT. — It’s no surprise that food banks are seeing increased use, as families struggle to feed families during this time ofo COVID-19 restrictions.

The increased use of food banks has put added pressure on the organizations, particularly as we move into the holidays. With that in mind, the federal government has rolled out $100M in added support to food security organizations.

This $100 Million in funding brings total funding under the Emergency Food Security Fund to $200 million.

On Friday (Dec 18), Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced details the money be provided to organizations under the Emergency Food Security Fund.

The new funding will provide;

— $18.5 million to Food Banks Canada,
— $18.5 million to Breakfast Club of Canada,
— $8.9 million to Second Harvest,
— $8.9 million to Community Food Centres Canada,
— $8.85 million to the Salvation Army,
— $1.34 million to La Tablée des Chefs
— $5 million will be allocated from reserve funds.
— $30 million of the new funding to bolster its Indigenous Community Support Fund.

The first $100 million under the Emergency Food Security Fund, announced in April 2020, was divided as follows:

— $50 million to Food Banks Canada;

— $49.2 million divided between Community Food Centres Canada, Second Harvest, Salvation Army, and Breakfast Club of Canada; and

— $800,000 for La Tablée des Chefs to help prepare and distribute meals mainly across Quebec to vulnerable populations through food banks.

The Indigenous Community Support Fund is providing Indigenous leadership with the flexibility needed to design and implement community-based solutions to prevent, prepare and respond to the spread of COVID-19 within Indigenous communities.

In addition, the Government launched the $50 million Surplus Food Rescue Program, which aimed to move surplus food commodities through the food system as efficiently as possible to help vulnerable Canadians.