Meet Muhammad, our Research Analyst at Daily Bread Food Bank. As an integral part of the Research & Advocacy team since 2022, he spearheads the client research and data collection process for our Who’s Hungry report, our annual profile of food insecurity and poverty in Toronto, along with other internal reporting and analysis that help inform our efforts as an organization.
What does a typical day look like in your role?
For me, a typical day depends on the time of year. From January to the end of October my work is predominantly focused on our Who’s Hungry report. Between January and the end of February I’m recruiting and training volunteers for data collection, connecting with our member agencies to coordinate the distribution of surveys, getting volunteers to our participating food banks, and tracking their activity. The data collection period then occurs between March and April. From there, it’s time for data entry in May, and I’m able to start the analysis stage in July. This phase of the report can take between 1.5 to 2 months but is an ongoing process because the data is constantly being reviewed and categorized. The next few months include supporting the drafting, editing and design of the report, until it’s ready for publication in November.
What do you enjoy most about the work that you do?
I enjoy coordinating our research efforts and having the opportunity to analyze the data. I have a connection with the material, so it’s also rewarding to see the data I’ve worked on get shared – because I can remember the exact moment when I generated the numbers and the work it involved.
What made you decide to join the Daily Bread team?
Prior to coming to Daily Bread, I worked in academia, research and research management, but only a few of those roles had a direct application. When I learned about the role at Daily Bread, and that I would have the opportunity to do research that would support our advocacy team, and inform policy recommendation, it cemented my interest in joining the organization.
What are some of your hobbies?
One of my greatest hobbies was writing poetry in Bangla. I’ve had a book published, but I have enough poetry to publish multiple books. I also enjoy researching philosophy, science and religion; I love learning how things are interconnected. I also enjoy reading and watching movies.
What’s your favourite movie?
I really enjoy romantic comedies, futuristic science fiction and action movies. Some of my favourites are Meet Joe Black, The Da Vinci Code, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Tourist and Transcendence.
What are people often surprised to learn about you?
I really enjoy playing video games, and it always surprises people that while I like strategic games, I also play a lot of combat-style ones.
Thank you, Muhammad, for all your incredible work behind the scenes on Daily Bread’s research efforts, and your passion for sharing these findings to help inspire change. We’re so grateful to have you on our Research & Advocacy team!
