What we do
Parkdale Food Centre (PFC) believes everyone should have the means and opportunity to live a healthy, connected and fulfilling life. Founded 40 years ago, Parkdale Food Centre has evolved from a traditional food bank into one of the leading voices on food security and poverty issues in Ottawa and beyond. Recognizing that good food can transform our health and deepen social connections, PFC works for systemic change across our community.
How you can help
We believe that access to food is a human right, and by extension our work happens in a way that places dignity and equity at the forefront.
This year we are working to create a gift card system at our Grocery Program where your neighbours use it to shop in an environment that is as similar to a typical grocery store as possible.
Our weekly community meals ensure that everyone is welcome at our table, no matter your income level. Our structured youth programming was created to empower and uplift our youth and provide opportunities to grow and build resilience. Our advocacy program rounds out our programming to ensure that our neighbours have a voice and assistance in navigating systems, in addition to staff and neighbours advocating for much-needed income benefit change.
Get involved
Food security and food justice are at the heart of our work. Gathered from PFC’s Knowing Our Neighbours 2023 survey, we know the following:
- 68 per cent of households represented in the survey reported an annual income of $20,000 or less
- 61 per cent of households reported that food actually ran out and there wasn’t money to buy more
- 76 per cent of respondents stated that if their household was to face an unexpected expense of $500, they would not be able to cover it from their own resources
Volunteer
Volunteers power our programming! If you are interested in joining our community of volunteers, please visit our website for more information.
To learn more about this charity, please visit the latest issue of the Giving Guide here:
