Beyond Hunger: Our campaign for income security
August 17, 2023
In 2020, Right To Food (formerly Community Food Centres Canada), launched Beyond Hunger, a report and national campaign that spotlighted the deep connections between poverty and food insecurity in Canada.
Through personal stories, data, and public engagement, Beyond Hunger made one thing clear: food insecurity isn’t about food. It’s about income.
At the heart of the campaign, the powerful Beyond Hunger report featured stories from people across the country struggling to afford food despite their resilience and resourcefulness.
The report revealed how food insecurity takes a toll not only on health but also on dignity, social inclusion, and mental wellbeing.
Download:
ReportThese are some of the key findings, which you can also see in this infographic. Of 561 people experiencing food insecurity across Canada:
- 81% said it takes a toll on their physical health
- 79% said it impacts their mental health
- 59% said it takes a toll on their kids
- 46% said it limits their ability to celebrate their culture
- 53% said it is a barrier to finding meaning in life
- 57% said it makes it harder to find and keep a job
“Everything starts with food. Without it, your mental health, your physical health, it all goes. You give up,” said one person.
“Not having food causes stress in our [family’s] relationship, as well. Arguments. Should we borrow money? Where will we get food?” shared another.
The campaign called on governments to take meaningful action by investing in income supports. Thousands of people took action by writing to their MPs, sharing stories, and helping shift the narrative away from charity toward justice.
As the food insecurity crisis deepens in Canada, the message of Beyond Hunger still holds: real change requires policy-based solutions.
We carry forward that vision, because everyone in Canada has the right to food.
To take action today, search your address on www.foodsecuritynow.ca to find out how poverty and food insecurity affect your community.
Download:
Report
