Sunday, March 17, 2013

ACT NOW: The NDG Food Depot Needs a New Building

For the last 20 years, the NDG Food Depot has been aiding some of the most vulnerable individuals through various important programs from food aid, cooking workshops, and helping to build a sense of community through the alleviation of social isolation. They also provide a delivery service for individuals who are disabled and who are struggling with mental health issues. This entails aiding about 700 people each week through emergency food baskets.

As you may or may not have heard, they were recently notified from the building owner that their lease would no longer be renewed. With less than a few months remaining to find another location I am asking you, the NDG counsellors and the mayor of Montréal, to help out this important service to the community. This could include providing them with a municipal building, helping them secure a permanent building, or simply further aiding them in the process of finding a new building.

During a time of greater increasing government cuts to public services it is important that we as a community work together to support all the people within it. As noted in a recent release from Statistics Canada the income gap between the rich and poor is increasing drastically. Those in situations of poverty and disabilities are currently at greatest risk due to reduced government funding and increased income gaps. What is the cities strategy to address these type of concerns in NDG? How as a counsellor or employee for the City of Montréal and NDG deal with this problem?

We think that the NDG Bureau needs a more long-term solution, and a preliminary step in decreasing this gap would be to aid the NDG Food Depot in finding a more permanent space. Perhaps this could be an unused municipal building, such as the Benny Library which will soon move to it's new location. A joint project such as this is a great opportunity for the City of Montréal to demonstrate that you are interested in aiding the community at large in support for such long standing and crucial programs.

Without the services provided by the NDG Food Depot, many people will find themselves further marginalized and in desperate need. By providing them with ongoing support and a municipal building you will be expressing your support for ending the increasing rates of poverty in NDG.

What are you willing to do to aid the NDG Food Depot at this time of uncertainty? Are you willing to commit a municipal building towards this project?

Click here to sign the petition.

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