The 4th Annual Strathcona Harvest FestivalFestival

Strathcona Community Centre Food Security Programs

The Strathcona neighbourhood is the oldest and most poverty-stricken residential area in Vancouver. Strathcona’s unemployment rate is 16 to 20%, with 42.2-50.1% of economic families (a group of related persons occupying the same dwelling) below the “Low Income Cut-Off” of approximately $28,352 (Statistics Canada 1996). Research shows that people with low incomes are at a higher risk of not obtaining the nutrients they need for good health, spend less on food, and are mostly deficient in fruit, vegetables and dairy products. The Centre strives to increase access to real food for neighbourhood residents; to this end, the Centre runs 15 different food-related programs to help alleviate the risk of transient hunger and malnutrition experienced in the community. For example, the nutritious and well-balanced hot breakfast program serves 150 children and their parents each school day and throughout the Summer.

For more information, visit the SCC webpage on food security.