Food Forward is where Torontonians meet to create a better City through food. We act together to educate and advocate effectively for healthy food and communities that are inclusive, diverse, ethical, local, and resilient.
About us
Our organization, born in 2010, is made up of hundreds of dynamic and ambitious members - people, businesses, organizations in all parts of Toronto - who are connecting to create good food and good food jobs. Collectively, Food Forward forms a people's voice that values food democracy, food justice, food sovereignty, and economic opportunity. We are a registered non-profit organization. We are not a charity.
What we do
We educate each other and the broader public through forums, workshops, media and social media communities. We advocate, with our strongest focus at City Hall, to advance food policy change by mobilizing the public and politicians. We connect by identifying collaborative, networking, and capacity building opportunities to build a more cohesive and stronger food movement.
Our people
Recent initiatives and partnerships
Good food jobs: Food Entrepreneur Training Program, food jobs resources and policy, good food advocacy
Good food advocacy: strategic campaigns, forums, media, deputations, community advocacy training, all supporting community initiatives, businesses, and government departments to support healthy food - see our blogs
Good street food: advocating with the Toronto Street Food Project - see our blogs
Good hospital food: Toronto health care food chapter, advocacy, and forums - see our blogs
Good food justice: supporting the Growing Food & Justice Initiative - Toronto LEG - see our blogs
Good food connections and capacity: Foodie Drinks (see Eglinton-Lawrence), resources, social media, Toronto projects and businesses, Food For Ward Project reps.
Check back for our 2013 initiatives!
Some successes
- Rallied with the community to save and enhance City food projects like the Urban Agriculture Program, local food purchasing, and shift policies to allow for more diverse street food, urban growing, and food jobs
- Provided business training sessions for over 200 budding social food entrepreneurs
- Hosted 30 events (since 2010) and participated & partnered in dozens more throughout Toronto that have built a more strongly networked food movement
- Supported the initiation of several community food businesses and projects in low income neighbourhoods by identifying opportunities and providing networks, resources, and promotion.
