Canadians invited to dine out to support community food centres

TORONTO – Restaurants in nine cities across Canada will donate the proceeds from one dinner service to community food programs.

The event, designed to bring people together to advocate for good food for everyone, is taking place Oct. 22. It is being spearheaded by Community Food Centres Canada and involves 25 restaurants across the country.

Organizers hope the inaugural Restaurants for Change/Des Restos pour Demain will generate awareness among Canadians about the critical need for a healthy and equitable food system in the country.

Funds raised will support Community Food Centres Canada CFCC and local Community Food Centres to offer programs that build food access, food skills, and education and engagement around food, and that strive to create social change on critical issues facing low-income communities.

“We believe that access to healthy food is a right,” Nick Saul, president and CEO of Community Food Centres Canada, said in a statement.

“We also believe that bringing people together around healthy food can create healthier, fairer and more connected communities.”

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Launched in 2012 out of Toronto’s The Stop Community Food Centre – an internationally recognized leader in developing progressive community-based solutions to hunger, poor health and social isolation – CFCC is working to develop a total of 15 Community Food Centres by 2017 that offer a multi-faceted program mix that includes healthy drop-in meals, affordable produce markets, community gardens and kitchens, and education and advocacy programs under one roof.

The restaurants that have pledged their support are in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Perth and Stratford in Ontario, Halifax, Montreal,

To participate, diners can make a dinner reservation for Oct. 22 with a restaurant from the list or visit www.restaurantsforchange.ca for more information.