This report has a great section on advocacy around income security
issues.


Poverty in a Land of Plenty: Towards a Hunger - Free Canada

Canadian Association of Food Banks survey shows unprecedented increase
in food bank use.

Winnipeg, October 15, 2004

  A record number of Canadians are using food banks in Canada, an
increase of 8.5 percent since last year, according to a report
published today. 841,640 people exceeding the population of Winnipeg -
including 317,242 children, are receiving food from food banks and
emergency food programs, despite the Canadian government's
re-endorsement of the 1996 Rome Declaration on World Food Security two
years ago.

The Canadian Association of Food Banks (CAFB) survey, HungerCount
2004:Poverty in a Land of Plenty: Towards a Hunger Free Canada,
demonstrates the government's failure to provide a social  network
which enables people in Canada to feed themselves and shows a rise in
food bank use across the country.

“With over three quarters of a million people using a food bank in a
month,” says Charles Seiden, Executive Director of the CAFB, “we have
never seen numbers like this before. The challenge is immense and
complex and the issues of poverty and hunger must be placed onto the
agendas of governments of all levels to restructure the welfare system
and provide an adequate social network before another generation is
subjected to poverty and its inherent outcomes.”

The survey reveals that 13.3 percent of food bank users are people with
jobs and an astounding 2.72 million meals were served in one month.

 “In the light of the staggering number of Canadians unable to provide
for their basic needs, the CAFB and its members are more committed than
ever to seek realistic and effective social policies in pursuit of
social inclusion and the elimination of hunger,” states Marjorie Bencz,
CAFB chair.

The CAFB and its members will meet with MP’s and party leaders to
initiate concrete steps towards eradicating hunger inCanada.  The
HungerCount report sets out recommendations for government in a seven
point plan towards a hunger free Canada and gives an overview of policy
priorities with measurable objectives and timelines to monitor national
progress on eliminating hunger, food insecurity and poverty.

  HungerCount is the only national survey of emergency food programs
inCanada, conducted annually since 1997. With a sample of 482 food
banks it goes beyond presenting the most current data and calls for
strategic solutions to food security for
Canadians.


Founded in 1985, the Canadian Association of Food Banks is the national
umbrella organization      representing voluntary food charities,
including over 235 member food banks. CAFB is the voice of food banks
inCanada, with members and their respective agencies serving
approximately 90% of people accessing emergency food programs
nation-wide.

CAFB operates the National Food Sharing System with corporate
partnerships that facilitate the distribution and sharing of major food
industry donations through voluntary transport to food banks across the
country.

While CAFB provides food for people in need on a day-to-day basis, its
ultimate goal is to eradicate the causes of hunger, food insecurity and
poverty inCanada through public education and advocacy.

  For a complete copy of HungerCount 2004, please contact the CAFB or
visit the website at www.cafb-acba.ca


*************
Elaine Power, Ph.D.
Health Studies Program
School of Physical and Health Education
Queen's University
Kingston, ON  K7L 3N6
phone: 613.533.6283
fax: 613.533.2009

-------------------
Problems/Questions? Send it to Listserv owner: [log in to unmask]


To unsubscribe, send the following message in the text section -- NOT the subject header --  to [log in to unmask]
SIGNOFF SDOH

DO NOT SEND IT BY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON. THIS SENDS THE MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE LISTSERV AND STILL DOES NOT REMOVE YOU.

To subscribe to the SDOH list, send the following message to [log in to unmask] in the text section, NOT in the subject header.
SUBSCRIBE SDOH yourfirstname yourlastname

To post a message to all 1000+ subscribers, send it to [log in to unmask]
Include in the Subject, its content, and location and date, if relevant.

For a list of SDOH members, send a request to [log in to unmask]

To receive messages only once a day, send the following message to [log in to unmask]
SET SDOH DIGEST

To view the SDOH archives, go to: http://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/sdoh.html