Second Harvest
Encyclopedia
Second Harvest Toronto is a food rescue
and redistribution charitable organization
that strives to decrease hunger
in the city of Toronto
. The organization is based on the principle that fresh and prepared food should not be going to waste while in the same city people are hungry. As of 2010, Second Harvest picked up food from 600 food providers in the GTA including restaurants, grocery stores, and food warehouses. The organization delivers food using a fleet of seven refrigerated trucks that deliver the food to 200-plus social service agencies in Toronto, including soup kitchen
s, women’s shelters, children’s programs, and drop-in centers. Food is re-distributed within 24 hours, and most often the same day. Second Harvest organizes several special events each year, the largest of which are Toronto Taste and Lunch Money Day each year to add to their fund-raising base.
In 1994, the Ontario Legislature passed the “Donation of Food Act” or Good Samaritan Legislation releasing those who donate food or distribute donated food from liability in the event that an individual is affected by the consumption of that food, provided that due diligence is exercised. This act enabled Second Harvest Toronto to accept donations from large food corporations, helping the organization to grow substantially..
April, 2010 - Second Harvest Toronto marked 25 years of delivering fresh, surplus food to Toronto's hungry.
August 26, 2010 - A milestone in the organization's 25 year history, Second Harvest Toronto rescued and delivered 6 million pounds of food in one year for the first time ever.
Phillips, James. "Ontario's Donation of Food Act," Viewpoint. Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, p. 3-8. http://journals.sfu.ca/philanthropist/index.php/phil/article/viewFile/769/613 Accessed January 19, 2010.
Food rescue
Food rescue, also called food recovery, is the practice of safely retrieving edible food that would otherwise go to waste, and distributing it to those in need.The recovered food is edible, but often not saleable...
and redistribution charitable organization
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
that strives to decrease hunger
Hunger
Hunger is the most commonly used term to describe the social condition of people who frequently experience the physical sensation of desiring food.-Malnutrition, famine, starvation:...
in the city of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. The organization is based on the principle that fresh and prepared food should not be going to waste while in the same city people are hungry. As of 2010, Second Harvest picked up food from 600 food providers in the GTA including restaurants, grocery stores, and food warehouses. The organization delivers food using a fleet of seven refrigerated trucks that deliver the food to 200-plus social service agencies in Toronto, including soup kitchen
Soup kitchen
A soup kitchen, a bread line, or a meal center is a place where food is offered to the hungry for free or at a reasonably low price. Frequently located in lower-income neighborhoods, they are often staffed by volunteer organizations, such as church groups or community groups...
s, women’s shelters, children’s programs, and drop-in centers. Food is re-distributed within 24 hours, and most often the same day. Second Harvest organizes several special events each year, the largest of which are Toronto Taste and Lunch Money Day each year to add to their fund-raising base.
History and time line
Second Harvest Toronto was founded in April 1985 by Ina Andre and Joan Clayton, who also founded Windfall Basics in 1991. Under the direction of Andre and Clayton, the organization began small and consisted of picking up waste food in a hatchback from restaurants and grocery stores and distributing it across the city.In 1994, the Ontario Legislature passed the “Donation of Food Act” or Good Samaritan Legislation releasing those who donate food or distribute donated food from liability in the event that an individual is affected by the consumption of that food, provided that due diligence is exercised. This act enabled Second Harvest Toronto to accept donations from large food corporations, helping the organization to grow substantially..
April, 2010 - Second Harvest Toronto marked 25 years of delivering fresh, surplus food to Toronto's hungry.
August 26, 2010 - A milestone in the organization's 25 year history, Second Harvest Toronto rescued and delivered 6 million pounds of food in one year for the first time ever.
See also
- Archer, Bert. "Giving food a second chance: Leftovers and Gas" The Edible City: Toronto's food from farm to fork. Christina Palassio and Alana Wilcox, eds. Coach House, Toronto: 2009.
- Tarasuk, Valerie and Joan M. Eakin, "Food assistance through “surplus” food: Insights from an ethnographic study of food bank work." Agriculture and Human Values Springer Netherlands. Volume 22, Number 2 / June, 2005, p. 177-186. ISSN 0889-048X (Print) 1572-8366 (Online). http://www.springerlink.com/content/x834241t62347wj8/
Phillips, James. "Ontario's Donation of Food Act," Viewpoint. Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, p. 3-8. http://journals.sfu.ca/philanthropist/index.php/phil/article/viewFile/769/613 Accessed January 19, 2010.