ChewOnThis! brings awareness to food insecurity

By ChristianWeek | September 22, 2015

OTTAWA, ON—Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) wants Canadians to become more aware of food insecurity in Canada. This October, CPJ’s ChewOnThis! event will bring together hundreds of volunteers from food banks, schools, churches and local non-profits to bring attention to the almost 900,000 people in Canada that continue to rely on food banks each month.

CPJ socio-economic policy analyst Darlene O’Leary says it is crucial for people to get involved in something like ChewOnThis! because “poverty violates human dignity and we are all called to do what we can to promote the common good and to act in solidarity with those marginalized.”

She notes there has been a 25 per cent increase in food bank use since the 2008-2009 recession and that 4.8 million people in Canada are considered to be living in poverty.

CPJ’s goal is to engage people from more than 100 communities across Canada through local events organized by grass roots volunteers.

Events will take place on October 6, 2015, where local organizers will distribute paper lunch bags that encourage people to “ChewOnThis before they vote” in the upcoming federal election.

“This year we have an important opportunity to engage the public in a unique way because our ChewOnThis! events will take place just prior to the federal election. We are encouraging people to talk to their federal candidates about their parties’ plans to end poverty in Canada,” says O’Leary.

ChewOnThis! will celebrate on October 17—the International Day of the Eradication of Poverty—with an online event featuring photos taken by local organizers of events in their communities.

“Anyone concerned about poverty in Canada can get involved,” O’Leary says. “We have groups participating that are part of church-based organizations, non-profit anti-poverty organizations, food bank and soup kitchen organizers, university students’ organizations, and social justice groups.”

Thea deGroot is a ChewOnThis! participant from Sarnia, Ontario. “There is good support from the community every year,” she says. “We hope to bring understanding to issues of injustice and advocate for the well-being of our local and global neighbours.”