Feed an Indigenous elder in need
Healthy breakfasts for urban Indigenous seniors in Toronto
Toronto originates from the Mohawk word “Tkaronto”, meaning “the place in the water where the trees are standing.” The land that Toronto is built on is the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississauga of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. Toronto is home to the largest and most diverse Indigenous populations in Ontario including over 70,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people. Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississauga of the Credit, and the Williams Treaty signed with multiple Mississauga and Chippewa bands. Anishnawbe Health Toronto (AHT) is an Indigenous-led, fully accredited Community Health Centre. AHT’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people in spirit, mind, emotion, and body by providing traditional healing within a multi-disciplinary healthcare model. AHT serves more than 33,000 clients annually.
Necessity
Healthy breakfasts for Indigenous seniors in need in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Activity
Grocery gift cards for healthy breakfasts will be sent to Indigenous seniors, age 55+ with two or more underlying health conditions.
Countable effort
4,995 healthy breakfasts for Indigenous seniors.
Result
Compared to the previous year, it is expected that 37 additional Indigenous seniors will have improved food security for 1/3 of the year.
Systemic effect
Improved food security for Indigenous seniors that can lead over the long-term to better physical and mental health.
Background
Toronto has the largest and most diverse Indigenous population in Ontario. The historical Indigenous experience has been traumatic including loss of land, culture and family life through the residential school system and the ‘60s Scoop’. This has led to a loss of identity with numerous ramifications including homelessness and hunger. Ninety percent of Toronto’s urban Indigenous population live below Canada’s low-income line, often living at the margins of society and are more likely than non-Indigenous to be homeless, unemployed, and have not completed high school. Food insecurity can lead to serious health consequences for Indigenous people including physical and mental health challenges. In fact, 8 of 10 Indigenous adults will develop diabetes in their lifetime and have double the rate of diabetes versus non-Indigenous adults.
The good deed
Thanks to your GOOD DEED we will be able to provide healthy breakfasts for Indigenous seniors in Toronto. Grocery gift cards will be sent to Anishnawbe Health Toronto Clients, age 55+ with two or more underlying health conditions during the winter holiday season. The need for healthy food support by senior clients far surpasses our capacity. In addition, winter brings added costs of warmer clothing and higher heating costs. With your GOOD DEED, we will have the ability to support 12% more seniors over our previous year.
About Ontario, Canada
Our GOOD DEED will support Anishnawbe Health Toronto Clients.
374,395 people (2016)
largest Indigenous population
in Ontario
$33,218
median annual income for Indigenous people in Ontario (aged 25-64)
$42,564 for the non-Indigenous population (2016)
Life expectancy for Indigenous people remained about 10 years lower than for the non-Indigenous population (71 years compared to 81 years). (2016)
One-third of the Indigenous population of Ontario live in Toronto. The Province of Ontario has the largest Indigenous population of all Provinces or 21.5% of the entire Indigenous population of Canada.
About the organization and further information
Anishnawbe Health Foundation
