The Centretown Emergency Food Centre (CEFC) is the Centretown Churches Social Action Committee's (CCSAC) main program. The Food Centre is directed by a Management Committee, appointed by CCSAC, with daily operations managed by the Coordinator.
The Food Centre, located at 507 Bank Street in the basement of Centretown United Church, serves clients four days a week. Our full-time Coordinator directs the operation of the Food Centre with the help of dedicated teams of volunteers who stock shelves and package food in the mornings and others who serve clients in the afternoon. The Food Centre's mandate is to serve those in need in the Centretown area bordered by Wellington Street on the north, Billings Bridge to the south, Lyon Street to the west and Main Street, including Lees Avenue, to the east. While the nature of our clientele has shifted over the years as the demographics of our catchment area have changed, demand for food from people living on social assistance, with disabilities and on low-income jobs has remained throughout the years and, in recent years, has started to grow again.
One of the Food Centre's main challenges is funding. Grants from the City of Ottawa cover most of our staffing costs, but we rely on member churches to organize food drives food and donate funds so that we can offer our clients a 3-to-4 day supply of nourishing food, according to the size of their family. Significant additional help comes from the Food Bank, local schools and businesses and many individuals.
The Food Centre interacts regularly with other community resources, such as Centre 507 (Centretown United’s drop-in centre), the Centretown Community Health Centre, Daybreak and the Out-of-the-Cold winter dinners offered by several of CCSAC's member churches.
CCSAC in 2012 started a second program, consisting of support to an eight member refugee family coming to Canada from a Syrian refugee camp. The Asmah family arrived late in the evening on October 31, after a quick sponsorship process - the application by the Ottawa Anglican Diocese was not put in until September 30. The father, Medhat, an engineer and teacher, speaks excellent English, and is coaching Nesreen, his wife. There are three young men in the family: Omar, 21, Amos, 20, and Yaser, 18. There are also three young women: Eilaf, 16, Shahed, 14, and Sura, 11. The family is settling in well. Every member is going to school or enrolled in a job training programme.