To go directly to the Steering Committee Application, click here.

Are you finding it difficult to afford food in Toronto?

Does that make you hungry for change?

Join our movement of people fighting to end poverty in our community!

A PEOPLE-POWERED MOVEMENT

NOTICE is a community-powered movement fighting inequality and building lasting solutions to hunger and poverty. We’re fighting for a city for all of us by putting the drivers of food insecurity, inequality, and unaffordability on NOTICE.

Led by our community, for our community — we’re organizing a movement to create lasting change in North York, supported by North York Harvest Food Bank.

HOW DID WE GET STARTED? 

In 2024, North York Harvest hosted a series of open houses at our community food spaces to listen and learn from community members. We brainstormed advocacy ideas and long term solutions needed to tackle the root issue of food insecurity and poverty. 

From there, we invited interested community members to join the Steering Committee and work closer with us to develop a community-led advocacy strategy. 

Throughout 2025, we met with community members that represented our four food spaces to organize a movement that won’t be ignored. We hosted the series of meetings across North York at our community partner sites including the Toronto Public Library, Unison Health & Community Services, and the Working Women Community Centre so that we're organizing in common spaces frequented by our community.

THE TURNING POINT 

For years, North York Harvest focused our advocacy to show the impact of food insecurity and the affordability crisis faced by our community. 

We know the root causes of food insecurity. We know the policies that would end it. We have years of reports, petitions, meetings with officials, and community leadership pointing in the same direction.

But year after year, our calls to action went unnoticed.

And still, the crisis grows.

Everyone living in this city, using or running a food program knows the current system is unsustainable.

That’s why we’re doing something different now: powering a community movement to fight for real change. 

THE COMMUNITY ADVOCACY GROUP

From outreach within our food network, pop-up programs, petitions, letters, surveys and reports, community art-builds, workshops and meetings, and organizing rallies with partners and coalition networks – North York Harvest is building up momentum, making connections, and developing community capacity as we prepare to put decision-makers on NOTICE. 

We know we are stronger together. That’s why we’re bringing together those most impacted by poverty to fight for lasting change through the Community Advocacy Group.

In all our work, we are centering our community to build up our collective voice: from taking care of accessibility and cultural needs to working inter-generationally with youth and seniors because we believe in the strength of our diverse community.

After all — working collaboratively is the basis of how we build community power to advocate for collective change. The Community Advocacy Group organizes with community members as well as partners and coalitions, including:

• North York Harvest's network of over 35 food agency programs, including food banks and community kitchens such as Weston King Neighbourhood Centre, Centre for Spanish Speaking Peoples, Elspeth Heyworth Centre for Women, and many more valued partner agencies across North York
• FoodReach, an alternative food distributor that serves 300 community food programs across Toronto and Hamilton including drop-ins, shelters, youth programs, schools, libraries and other food banks such as Fred Victor, Christie Ossington Neighbourhood Centre, The Stop Community Food Centre, Yonge Street Mission, and many more critical programs 
• Civic engagement and community services organizations including Social Planning Toronto, YWCA Toronto, The Neighbourhood Group Community Services, Centre for Independent Living Toronto, Don Valley Community Legal Services, Toronto Community Benefits Network, Labour Toronto & York Region Council, and South Asian Women’s Rights Organization
• Advocacy and policy groups including Justice 4 Workers, Income Security Advocacy Centre, TTC Riders, and the Campaign 2000 End Child & Family Poverty
• Housing and tenant organizing groups including ACORN Ontario, Fair Rent Ontario, York South-Weston Tenant Union, and the Federation of Metro Tenants Association
• Disability justice groups including Campaign for Adequate Welfare and Disability Benefits, Disability Justice Network of Ontario, ODSP Action Coalition, Raise the Rates Coalition, and the GTA Disability Coalition 

And together, we have already won policy changes in our first year that will make a difference for our community. From City Hall to Queen’s Park, the Community Advocacy Group — led by the Steering Committee and supported by North York Harvest Food Bank — is only growing stronger as politicians take notice. You can read more about all our campaigns and wins in 2025 at www.noticenorthyork.ca/updates!

Working Together

For forty years, North York Harvest’s vision is "a community where all members are able to meet their food needs." Despite all the different crises that our community has faced over the years, we still believe this future free of food insecurity and poverty is possible – when we all work together.

“I enjoy the togetherness of the people, the diversity of ages and cultures, the many great ideas, concerns that were discussed at each meeting and the successful outcomes from our ideas - from the fare freeze for riders to the funding for the school food program. Keep up the good work!” - Steering Committee Member, 2025

“We are contributing to the community. We need to keep educating our members and fighting for our rights and the community as a whole.” - Steering Committee Member, 2025

WILL YOU JOIN US?

Now we’re opening up applications again to join the community leaders who are shaping the NOTICE movement. 

Do you want to help lead the movement for change? Apply to join the 2026 Steering Committee! 

This position is for community members with lived experience of food insecurity and poverty, including those who access emergency food supports. Spots are limited and will be selected based on criteria to ensure the diversity of our community is represented. Honorarium, lunch, TTC tickets and other accessibility supports will be provided to all steering committee members.

To join our broader movement or volunteer, visit www.noticenorthyork.ca/join and we’ll share more opportunities to get involved!

Thank you for supporting our community. We can’t do this work without you.