‘On the Horizon’ Blog
Recent acts of racial violence have sparked global outrage and many conversations about systemic racism in our countries. Systemic racism means that resources, power and opportunity are systemically distributed to people who are white at the exclusion of people of colour. Racial disparities therefore occur in employment, housing, education, healthcare, government and incarceration.
Food insecurity is now the number one reason that Torontonians are calling 211, which is a directory of community, government and social service agencies in the GTA. Food insecurity is defined as a lack of access to a sufficient amount of affordable and nutritious food due to financial constraints. Previously, food insecurity was seventh on the list of reasons individuals called 211. Between April 1st and April 8th, 2020, 211 made 2,726 referrals to food banks in the city, which is six times more than during the same time period last year.[1]
