Have You Eaten Yet: Mutual Aid Fund

HAVE YOU EATEN YET? 你吃了吗? CHINATOWN MUTUAL AID FOOD FUND

Friends of Chinatown Toronto is a grassroots group fighting for housing justice, economic justice, and racial justice in Toronto’s downtown Chinatown.  Over the last year, we have distributed groceries to seniors, helped residents and workers access COVID-19 vaccines, and worked with collaborators to set up a community fridge in the neighbourhood. These are just a few initiatives intended to continue Chinatown’s legacy of mutual aid networks that has kept the neighbourhood under the care of the community. 

Like many other poor and working class racialized neighbourhoods, Chinatown has been hit hard by the pandemic and many community members are experiencing increased levels of food insecurity.

Since it was launched in April, the Chinatown Community Fridge at 138 D’Arcy Street has been in extremely high demand. The fridge and pantry are stocked by community members, and provide free, fresh food to Chinatown residents on a “take what you need, leave what you can” basis. In July 2021, the community fridge was decommissioned at the request of community members who  expressed safety concerns over conflict that arose from the intense food insecurity in Chinatown.  For the next step of our food mutual aid efforts, FOCT will be hosting more routine food drops with the team present to help ensure safety, coordination of distribution, and to support the community’s needs. “Have You Eaten Yet?” is a 15-week pilot mutual aid fund. In the fall, we will report back on our learnings and explore options for setting up continued food support for the neighbourhood. 

SOLIDARITY NOT CHARITY

In addition to providing our neighbours and friends with access to fresh, healthy and culturally specific foods, our goal is to better understand the roots of food insecurity in the neighbourhood, deepen relationships with residents and neighbours, and build community power to organize around racial, economic justice and food justice issues. 

Friends of Chinatown Toronto’s goal is $8888 for our “Have You Eaten Yet?” Chinatown mutual aid food fund.
Between mid-August to November, funds will be used towards: 

 - Culturally-specific groceries to be distributed to community members
 - PPE and personal hygiene supplies 
 - Political education events and community events in the neighbourhood 


We appreciate any and all support for this fund. If you would like to contribute to the fund but do not have a credit card, we will also be accepting e-transfers. GoFundMe redacts emails, so find our email at our Instagram bio: https://www.instagram.com/friendsofchinatownto. Please add a note that the donation is for the “Have You Eaten Yet?” fund. 

For those who are interested in supporting community mutual aid efforts in other ways, please check out Community Fridges Toronto , who are always seeking new volunteers to help clean, support and maintain a network of fridges across the city.