Partners with City of Toronto to support the most vulnerable with food delivery
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on the ability for some individuals to access food. There are many people, many of them seniors, who are self-isolating or in quarantine and need assistance for food delivery. While many people rely on friends and family to help with food pickup and delivery, there are some who do not have this support.
That’s where the Red Cross comes in. Partnering with the City of Toronto, the Canadian Red Cross along with other community organizations are providing food delivery to Torontonians who are unable to leave their homes and have no other option for food access and delivery.
The Red Cross is operating a call centre to identify needs and is mobilizing volunteers to deliver pre-assembled food baskets containing several days worth of shelf stable items, including canned goods, pasta, rice and other items.
This initiative addresses the need for food delivery for those without any options and ensures that individuals have access to nutritious meals.
The delivery program has adapted lessons learned from the Red Cross’s Mobile Food bank which provides access to nutritious meals by delivering food to individuals who are unable to access a traditional food bank. Due to urgent needs from COVID-19, the Mobile Food Bank is being adapted and expanded to meet these needs.
The Red Cross call centre will operate Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
A client care team member will ask callers questions to determine eligibility and make the necessary arrangements for food delivery. Individuals must:
- Reside in Toronto « M - postal code » catchment area; and
- Cannot access traditional grocery stores or community food programs such as food banks due to required or recommended self-isolation or quarantine (70+, travelled outside of Canada, symptomatic, COVID positive); and
- Have no other options to secure food delivery (friends, family, availability of delivery services).
Individuals who may benefit from the program are encouraged to call 1-833-204-9952.