Maria, a returning student at the University of Toronto pursuing a major in Diaspora and Transnational Studies and a minor in Equity and Human Geography, and her daughter Michelle, a Ryerson student graduating in May with a major in Law and Business and an interest in the non-profit sector, started volunteering at Daily Bread Food Bank in February 2020.
Wanting to expand on her studies and learn more about intersectional issues around food insecurity, Maria decided to help out with our Who’s Hungry research, and thought it would also be a great opportunity for Michelle.
Their volunteer work with Daily Bread includes conducting surveys that explore issues around food insecurity in the Greater Toronto Area. This year, the surveys were conducted online where participants were reached via phone. Despite missing out on face-to-face communication, conducting surveys online allowed for participants to be reached in a more private setting which they feel encouraged the sharing of pertinent information and enhanced the dialogue between volunteers and those using the food bank services.
When asked what the experience of volunteering with each other has been like they shared, “Volunteering alongside each other has created a supportive environment where we learn from each other in order to improve how we communicate with the community members we support. We learn from our individual experiences and share what we’ve learned with each other to gain an understanding of the issues facing marginalized populations that have been most impacted by COVID-19.”
Thank you for your commitment to our mission, Maria and Michelle! We are so grateful for your support as we conduct research on the root causes of food insecurity, and advocate for systemic solutions to end poverty so that everyone’s right to food is realized!
To learn more about our research and advocacy work, click here.
