Connect with us

Community News

FOOD FOR ALL! 5n2 Soup Kitchens Providing Food for Neighbours in Need

Published

on

BY ALYSSA MAHADEO

Every year the holiday season sparks something in us all urging us to give back and even the smallest contributions have the furthest reach.

In 2014,12.6% of households (1 in 8) in the GTA experienced food insecurity according to a report from food policy researchers led by the University of Toronto. In a city abundant with restaurants, it is a startling reality to know that so many of our neighbours cannot afford a healthy and wholesome meal.

Seema David and her children immigrated to Canada from the Middle East in 2007. Her husband joined them in 2008, but their first couple of years were tough getting accustomed to living in a new country, settling the kids at school and searching for a job to provide income for her family. Back in Dubai she had been a school teacher, but after coming to Canada, she had difficulties acquiring the paperwork to get her accreditations here. She obtained a position as a front desk clerk through an agency at the Faculty of Medicine in the University of Toronto offering a bit more than minimum wage and although she worried it wasn’t enough her husband encouraged her to use the position as a method of gaining valuable experience.

She wasn’t there long as an acquaintance at George Brown College got her an interview for the position of Assistant to the Dean. With only background experience as a teacher she worried that she wouldn’t be cut out for the job to complete the admin work required, but after a few interviews she got the position, and the woman she worked for was very accommodating and willing to show her what needed to be done.

Still new to the city in order to get to work Seema used to take the transit system through Toronto. While walking through the city she would see the homeless people on the streets, and working at the college she would hear a lot of talk about charity work. They were very involved in organizing fundraising events for United Way, and this is what first sparked the idea to open up a soup kitchen. Coming from the Middle East she wasn’t familiar with the sight of people living on the streets; in Dubai, you were required to have a visa in order to live there, and so having a job was mandatory.

“I had heard of the term ‘soup kitchen’ but I had never been to one, or had any idea of how it should be run.” Seema recalls. “Based on what I saw, I felt in my heart that I needed to start one especially in my own neighbourhood in Scarborough.”

Seema proposed the idea for a soup kitchen to a few people to see how her idea might be received, and it was met with mixed reactions. People questioned her motives, asking why she wanted to start a soup kitchen as it wasn’t something that she was obligated to do based on her professional background.

She remembered when her family had first come into the country as immigrants, they had brought with them enough savings to invest in a house and get themselves started. For three years after settling here her husband still didn’t have a job, and she was under the pressure of using her low-income admin position as the primary income of the household. Seeing more and more immigrants coming to settle in her neighbourhood, she saw that many of them were struggling even more than she had trying to make a living for themselves in this new country.

Prior to opening the soup kitchen, Seema was advised that this type of operation would cost a lot of money. Of course, they didn’t have the funds to invest in this project, but she promised herself that as soon as God provided the money she would open up a soup kitchen. After a few years had past the idea came to her mind once again. Her family was against the idea, especially since her husband was out of a job again, and she had gone back to the college just to try and keep them afloat. While at the college she focused her attention on doing background and research on how she could get the ball rolling on her soup kitchen, registering a business name, and even opening up a bank account to convince her family that she was serious.

In an effort to open her soup kitchen, Seema approached a local church to ask if they could use their kitchen on the weekends to host people and provide meals for them. Although they turned her down, Seema was resilient, and soon found another kitchen at the East Scarborough Storefront who offered their kitchen for use instead. She acquired another location in addition to the storefront, and went back to the church to show them that the community was responding to her efforts. They offered her the use of their kitchen one day a week and 5n2 Soup Kitchens was put in motion with 150 soups served though these three locations.

Since launching in July of 2013, 5n2 Soup Kitchens has expanded. They now serve from six locations in Scarborough, five days a week! In an urban centre where many are facing challenging situations and are struggling to meet even their basic needs, this initiative has successfully been providing healthy meals for hundreds of marginalized families, children and newcomers each week.

5n2 Soup Kitchens began as a God-given dream in the heart and mind of Seema David. She took her “5 loaves and 2 fish” and took a step on this journey. “Scarborough is my neighbourhood and I want to serve my neighbours,” said Seema. ” When I spoke to people about my vision I began to see that there are many people who have a heart to serve, but simply need a platform to give of their time and resources.”

Thousands need access to at least one healthy meal and 5n2 Soup Kitchens definitely provides an opportunity to do so. Their mission is to provide nourishing soups and meals to our neighbours in need, and their long-term vision is to work towards a hunger-free community where a meal is available for all who need it.

5n2 Soup Kitchens is thankful to all their Community Partners that have helped give this project life including Global Kingdom Ministries, Malvern Presbyterian Church, Salvation Army Immigrant & Refugee Services, Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities, Second Harvest, St. Stephens Presbyterian Church, Warden Woods Community Centre, Centennial College, George Brown College and The University of Toronto. With every wave of immigration more and more people are in need of their services.

Seema has been thankful for all the volunteers and individuals from the community who have contributed their time and efforts to helping run the soup kitchen, through preparation and serving food, as well as cleaning up and donating ingredients for made from scratch fresh and wholesome meals.

“The money that we have invested in this kitchen as a family ran out in December of last year, but because there are so many people that believe in our vision God has provided us the means to keep all our kitchens in operation.”

Looking toward the future Seema is looking to acquire her own kitchen that will allow them their own space where they can keep items in stock, as well as employ full-time and part-time help as well as acquire Charity status since they are currently operating as a Non-Profit Organization. This holiday season, as well as the year ahead Seema is hoping that more people will send financial donations their way to help them in their mission to provide food for all. To donate and give back visit their website at http://www.5n2foods.com/.

The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.

[Proverbs 22:9]

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Community News

Record entries for JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition

Published

on

Winner of the 2023 staging of the JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition ,Joel Miller, (third from left), shares a moment with representatives of the Jamaica Cultural |Development Commission (JCDC), organizers of the event. From left are Shaun Drysdale – Drama and Theatre Arts Development Specialist, Andrew Brodber – Director, Arts Development and Training and Executive Director, Lenford Salmon.

BY RUSHANE FERRON

The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) has received an unprecedented number of submissions for this year’s FiWi Short Film Competition. Launched earlier this year, the competition drew an impressive 47 entries. Currently, 17 shortlisted films are available for public viewing on the JCDC’s YouTube channel, with winners set to be announced on October 24th.

Executive Director of the JCDC, Mr. Lenford Salmon, expressed pride in the competition’s growing success, stating, “This record number of entries reflects how Jamaicans are embracing the programmes offered by the JCDC. While the Commission is well known for preserving and showcasing our culture, we also recognize the importance of using technology to engage, particularly with our youth. The FiWi Short Film Competition is a perfect example of how we can bring our culture to life in the digital age. The fact that it’s four years old and already experiencing this level of growth is a promising sign for the future.”

Drama and Theatre Arts Development Specialist at the JCDC, Mr. Shaun Drysdale, attributes this year’s spike in entries to the increasing interest in filmmaking, fueled by the proliferation of social media platforms that support storytelling through visuals.

We are living in a digital age. Filmmaking is now in the hands of the average person on the street via his, or her cell phone. Add to that the inherent creativity of Jamaicans and you are left with a potent combination, which when given the correct environment, can reap tangible rewards. That is what we are experiencing at this time,” Mr. Drysdale said.

The JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition seeks to promote Jamaican culture through the production of films ranging from 3-5 minutes in duration. The films must be based on set criteria, and primarily centred around a Jamaican proverb.

This year’s proverbs are: “Sweet mout fly follow coffin go a hole”; “Puss nuh hab han, but him tek him foot wipe him face”; “Keep clear a ole house, les dem fall dung pon you”; “Rockstone a riber bottom nuh feel sun hot”; and “Finger tink, yuh cyan cut eh trow ‘wey”.

In addition to the proverbs, participants were also given two special themes around which to build the treatment of their films, based on concepts provided by two sponsors. These are: “SEAS IN FOCUS: Uniting for marine managed areas”- National Conservation Trust Fund of Jamaica (NCTFJ) and “Need a passport quick, Get it with just a click”- Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).

Mr. Drysdale further noted that this year’s shortlisted films represent a variety of the possible genres with eleven dramatic works, two animation films, one comedy, one documentary and two science fiction films. Three of the participants are from the youth category, which is for filmmakers between 12-18 years old and the remaining 14 from adult category.

In addition to viewing the short films online, the public will have an opportunity to view at a special screening to be held on National Heroes’ Day, Monday, October 21st, 2024, as a feature of JCDC National Heritage Fest and Family Fun Day being held on the south lawn at Devon House in St Andrew.

The FiWi Short Film Competition was started by the JCDC in 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition is the brainchild of the JCDC’s Drama and Theatre Arts Unit and encourages Jamaican amateur filmmakers to examine selected Jamaican proverbs and based on their interpretation create the treatment for a short film.

Continue Reading

Community News

York Catholic is leading the province in educational achievement

Published

on

BY PAUL JUNOR

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), which administers the Grade 3, 6 and 9 assessments across Ontario and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), recently released the 2024 results. For many schools across the province, EQAO results are a snapshot of how students are doing compared to their peers in other schools at the same grade level.

The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) has maintained a high level of consistency with respect to the outstanding performance of its students on the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). In a media release on Wednesday, October 9th, 2024, details were revealed about the positive achievements and exemplary accomplishments of its students.

EQAO results were released on September 26th, 2024. The focus was, “Mathematics Achievement Remains an Area of Focus but Sees Gradual Growth Over Time with Some School Boards Showing Significant Increases; Literacy Achievement Remains High but Shows Some Decline.” The data was based on the 2023-2024 school year during which over 570,000 students wrote the EQAO assessments at the elementary and secondary levels on the English and French-language school systems.

For students who wrote the Grade 3 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics:

  • 71% met the provincial standard in reading compared to 73% in 2022-2023, and 73% in 2021-2022.
  • 64% of Grade 3 students met the provincial standard in writing, compared to 65% in 2022-2023 and 65% in 2021-2022.
  • 61% of Grade 3 students met the provincial standard in mathematics, compared to 60% in 2022-2023 and 59% in 2021-2022.

For students who wrote the Grade 6 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics:

  • 82% met the provincial standard in reading, compared to 84% in 2022-2023 and 85% in 2021-2022.
  • 80% met the provincial standard in writing, compared to 84% in 2022-2023, and 84% in 2021-2022.
  • 50% met the provincial standard in mathematics, compared to 50% in 2022-2023 and 47 % in 2021-2022.

For students who wrote the Grade 9 Assessment in Mathematics:

  • 54% met the provincial standard, compared to 54% in 2022-2023 and 52% in 2021-2022.

For students who wrote the Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT):

  • 85% of first-time eligible students were successful, compared to 85% in 2022-23 and 82% in 2021-2022.
  • 52% of previously eligible students were successful in 2023-2024, compared to 63% in 2022-2023 and 85% in 2021-2022.

John De Faveri, Interim Director of Education of the YCDSB writes, “We are always looking for ways to provide a better school experience, but today is a time to celebrate our students and staff for their excellent academic achievement. I want to particularly highlight the incredible work that is being done in mathematics, which we see in these results. Mathematical literacy is such an important life skill and we are happy to share a love of numbers with our students.”

Results from the Grade 3, 6 and 9 EQAO Mathematics results show improvement in Mathematics compared to 2023. In addition, with respect to reading and writing results for Grade 6 there has been a consistent steady upward rise in the performance of students as 89% and 90% of students met or exceeded provincial standards when compared to the province’s average of 82% and 89%.

Elizabeth Crowe, Chair of the Board of Trustees for YCDSB states, “EQAO results are just one of the ways we see how York Catholic is leading the province in educational achievement. As a Catholic learning community, we want to see every child succeed and EQAO results help us measure our progress toward that noble goal.”

Overall, the percentage of students who participated from YCDSB in Grade 3 and 6 EQAO were 97% and 98%, respectively. For Grade 9 Math assessment there were 93% of eligible students and 97% in the OSSLT.

Any parents or guardians interested in learning about the 2024 EQAO and OSSLT results and individual school results for their children can check the EQAO’s website: https://www.eqao.com/results/.

Continue Reading

Community News

York Catholic District School Board plans open house for future high school students

Published

on

Credits: Pch.Vector

BY PAUL JUNOR

There is: planning, preparation, and organization that parents, guardians and caregivers must make in York Region as they prepare their children for high school. For those who chose to send them to a high school at the Catholic board, there are open houses planned to make this process easier to navigate.

In a press release on Thursday, October 10th, 2024, details were revealed about these open houses. It notes, “The open houses will highlight key aspects of each school, including administration, programs, graduation requirements, uniforms, school structure, student opportunities and more. In addition, information about the registration process, including registration dates, deadlines and documents needed to enroll, will be discussed.

The media release mentioned the seven regional programs, and ten Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM) programs. They include:

Advanced Placement

Programs with an extended and enriched curriculum allow students to earn credits or advanced standing at most universities.

English as a Second Language

(ESL) and English Literacy Development (ELD)

English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development programs assist English language learners from diverse linguistic and education backgrounds in attaining English language proficiency.

French Immersion (FI)

Students who completed the Elementary French Immersion programs, or equivalent can continue with the immersion program to earn a French immersion certificate upon graduation.

High Performer Athlete (HPA)

An academic-based program for student-athletes participating in competitive-level athletics. Students benefit from a flexible timetable to help balance their academic and athletic commitments and earn high school credits for the work they put into their training.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

A rigorous and intellectually challenging pre-university course of study that allows students to earn an IB Diploma upon graduation, recognized in Canada and abroad.

Regional Arts (RAP)/Integrated Regional Arts Program(iRAP)

Students specialize in drama, dance, visual arts, digital media arts, instrumental music, or vocal music- while obtaining their high school diploma. In the iRAP, students experience their learning through an integrated model where the curriculum is explored in relation to the interconnectedness of the individual, the community, and the world.

STREAM Program

Students explore real-world challenges and use the design thinking process to develop critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills, guided by the traditional Catholic social teachings. This academic program uses an interdisciplinary approach to inquiry and problem-based learning.

Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)

Students can obtain a diploma with a specialist in either: Arts and Culture; Aviation and Aerospace; Business; Health and Wellness; Hospitality and Tourism; Information and Communication Technology; Justice, Community Safety and Emergency Services, Manufacturing; or Non-Profit. Every YCDSB school offers a SHSM program.

Parents or guardians who live in York Region and are interested in any programs can check: Website: www.ycdsb.ca

Continue Reading

Trending