It began with 25 participating restaurants in 9 cities across the country. Two years later, the 2016 Restaurants for Change has grown to more than 70 restaurants in 16 cities. Proceeds from dinner service at these restaurants on October 19th will be channeled to local community food centres throughout the province. This year, along with two restaurants in Perth, ON, Ottawa’s Atelier and Supply & Demand will be the eastern Ontario restaurants involved.
“This is the third year Atelier will be involved in the Restaurants for Change night,” chef/owner Marc Lepine wrote to tell me “…and certainly not the last. I’m involved because the community food centres being supported really are changing people’s lives by providing healthy food to those who need it. It’s not ok to me that so many people in Canada are ‘food insecure’.”
“As business owners and young parents ourselves,” writes Jennifer Wall, co-owner with her chef husband Steve Wall of Supply & Demand, “…we know the costs associated with feeding a family are continually rising and it’s not just unemployed people that are turning to food banks. We know that it is organizations like the CFCC that are the blood flow to our local branches, directly helping our own neighbours.”
Money raised supports the work of established and developing community food centres across Canada. These offer healthy drop-in meals, affordable produce markets, community gardens and kitchens, and education and advocacy programs around food. Funds raised will also support CFCC’s national leadership work around issues like access to real, healthy food for all, to the health benefits of that, and to community engagement around food security.
Do consider booking a table at either Atelier or Supply & Demand for October 19th. My understanding is there’s a few of those left, but no doubt going fast!
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