Our Programs

Emergency Food Baskets

While we are actively involved with other community-based groups working towards long-term solutions to hunger, we are committed to meeting the basic needs of our community by providing emergency food baskets. Families receive 2.5 days worth of food two times per month. Three days a week, our volunteers distribute food bags to those who qualify for this service. On average, food is given out 36,000 times every year.

Who is eligible?
If you live in the areas with the following postal codes then you may receive a food basket twice a month:
H4A - H4B - H4V - H4W - H4X - H3X - H3Z - H8R - H3W

What is required?
We ask that you provide a proof of residence such as a phone or hydro bill, as well as a piece of picture ID for each member of the family. You will need to bring your ID for each visit.     top

We have come to see our mission of providing food to those who are hungry as a unique opportunity to connect people to a variety of resources and information that they are often not aware of. Our intake process includes assessing needs and building trust with people so that we can help accompany them out of poverty. We work closely with social workers and partnering organizations in our neighborhood in order to achieve this. We are presently trying to increase our ability to do effective advocacy work and realize many people require more time and support than we are currently able to provide with our small team.     top

In 2004 we launched the Good Food Box (GFB) program in partnership with the NDG Food Security Coalition. The GFB has made it easier for people with low incomes to get fresh produce at lower prices. This program provides affordable, convenient, and high quality fruit and vegetable boxes through drop-off points in NDG. Potential buyers are attracted from local community groups (especially those working with people on low incomes). We buy our produce from small-scale family farmers in Quebec as much as possible, thereby making good food more affordable and supporting local agriculture.

Due to its great success in NDG, the GFB evolved in April 2009 to operate at the regional level under Moisson Montreal. We continue to manage the GFB for the NDG area and encourage our clients to join this program as soon as they can afford to do so. We are currently exploring the feasibility of developing a bulk food buying group.

The Good Food Box is distributed every 2 weeks and is available in 3 sizes: the large box ($16) feeds a family of 3 or more, the medium box ($10) is suitable for 2 people and the small box ($7) is ideal for a single person. Listed below are the many pick-up points for your convenience:

NDG area: NDG Food Depot 514-582-6908          Oxford & de Maisonneuve Action Communiterre 514-484-0223          Marlowe & de Maisonneuve Loyola Centre 514-872-6721          Somerled & Coronation

NDG area: continued Women on the Rise 514-485-7814          Terrebonne & Rosedale Conseil Communautaire NDG 514-484-1471          NDG ave. & Royal Westhaven Community Ctr 514-872-6134          Harley & Westhaven

NDG area: continued St. Raymond Centre 514-872-1765          Upper Lachine & Girouard Walkley Centre 514-369-9449          Walkley & Cote St.Luc Eco-Quartier NDG 514-486-2727          Somerled & Cavendish

Contact: You may leave a message for Bonnie at 514-582-6908 or e-mail at goodfood_bonnebouffe@yahoo.ca for more information or to volunteer.

To find out about pick-up points in other boroughs, please call Jamie or Mathilde at Moisson Montréal 514-344-4494.     top

These programs bring people together to learn how to prepare healthy inexpensive meals. Each gathering provides an opportunity for people to build new skills, forge new relationships and create networks of support. There is a current need to hire a part time staff person in order to run these types of workshops more often.     top

One of the most harmful aspects of poverty is the isolation into which people often fall: lack of money can significantly reduce the ability to associate with other people. Also, many elements of living with a low income directly lower a person's self-confidence and esteem. An interesting way we break this social isolation is by marrying our need for volunteers with our clients' need to contribute to society, to learn new skills and to re-create social networks. We organize various activities such as cultural evenings and community picnics in order to bring people together in meaningful ways. The NDG Food Depot has become a community hub where those who have been marginalized are engaged with a sense of belonging and empowerment.     top

We engage in public awareness campaigns which highlight issues of poverty and hunger. This is currently carried out through the media, public presentations, food drives and involving student volunteers as part of their high schools' community service programs.     top

In partnership with the provincial government we run employability programs, which help people build life and work skills so that they can integrate into the work force and into community life. Thirty participants a year participate in these two programs:

The BIL project targets specific groups every year, such as new arrivals and single mothers.

The Devenir program targets people living on social assistance who have barriers to employment.     top

In partnership with MUCS (Montreal Urban Community Sustainment) we are working to acquire non-marketable surplus produce from local grocery stores and redistribute it to those who need it. We are slowly building our capacity to work with more retailers in our neighborhood so that eatable food is no longer wasted. If you are interested in getting more involved with this initiative contact Kim at benevole@depotnd.org.

Help us build a community where no food is wasted!!     top

2009

2008