Donations to 5n2 kitchens to benefit clients of food programs
TORONTO, ONTARIO, Canada – Aiming to help alleviate the food insecurity rampantly affecting local communities, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) or Church Of Christ packaged non-perishable food items to donate to 5n2 Kitchens.
As part of the Aid To Humanity project through the FYM Foundation, volunteers from the Ecclesiastical District of Greater Toronto filled 312 boxes with donations of non-perishable food items such as rice, canned meat, canned fruits, dry beans, and pasta, a total of about 9,360 pounds of food, along with 90 sacks of rice weighing 1,608 pounds.
INC gifted the items along with a cheque donation of $5,000 to 5n2 Kitchens at an outdoor presentation on April 25, 2021, in the compound of the INC District Office at 3321 McNicoll Avenue in Scarborough.
“It is our honor and pleasure to team up and assist 5n2 Kitchen in their mission to fight food insecurity in our communities, and in their vision to create equitable access to food support in marginalized communities,” said Brother Glendo H. Baitan, Supervising Minister of the Ecclesiastical District of Greater Toronto, who also extended an invitation: “Not only do we share this with you, but we would like to also welcome you to the Church Of Christ. May this be the beginning of years of partnership, and in working together to help those who are in need, but most especially in the spiritual nourishment of our souls.”
Before accepting the donations, the founder of 5n2 Seema David shared: “I want to begin by thanking the Executive Minister, [Brother] Eduardo Manalo, for his very, very kind directive in providing the support to 5n2 Kitchen. It was just maybe two weeks ago that we sent an email out. And when he received this email, he directed the district minister to contact us. And it is rather amazing to see that in a short one-and-a-half week period, that the people of your congregation have gathered all these supplies, it just blows my mind to see how much of work has been put in.”
Currently, Toronto residents follow a provincial stay-at-home order in their third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the food donation event was broadcasted live via WebEx, Church members joined virtually.
5n2 began as a soup kitchen, founded by Mrs. David in 2013, who immigrated to Canada in 2007. Determined to help her community, which included several fellow immigrants and many others who struggled to feed their families, David served soup three days a week. 5n2 has now grown into a multi-food program hub, serving meals at different locations and supplying much-needed grocery hampers to the more isolated neighborhoods.
According to the City of Toronto: “Food insecurity refers to the inadequate or insecure access to food due to lack of money. It affects almost 1 in 5 Toronto households (18.5 percent) and is a serious public health issue because it is closely linked to negative health outcomes.”
The Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) has a strong presence in 158 countries and territories.
This Church, led by Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, continues to conduct Aid To Humanity events extending assistance to community members not just locally but worldwide.
This assistance extends to areas of health, livelihood, and, more importantly, to the field of spirituality through the sharing of Bible-based doctrines and teachings across the globe. Now more than ever, these ongoing socio-civic activities aim to build a strong relationship between the INC and their communities.
About the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) or Church Of Christ
For more about the Church and its activities, please visit www.iglesianicristo.net.
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Seema David, the founder of 5n2 Kitchens, accepts the food donations and $5,000-cheque from the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) or Church Of Christ on April 25, 2021. The items will help fight food insecurity in the community. -
Due to Covid-19 protocols, a socially distanced Aid To Humanity outdoor event was held on April 25, 2021, in the compound of the INC District Office in Greater Toronto and broadcast live to Church Of Christ members across Greater Toronto. -
During the Aid to Humanity event on April 25, 2021, Seema David expressed her appreciation for Brother Eduardo V. Manalo’s “very kind directive in providing support to 5n2 Kitchen” after she had reached out to him for assistance. -
Ten thousand pounds of non-perishable food items, placed in 312 boxes, were prepared by INC volunteers at the INC District Office of Greater Toronto. These are part of the donations going to 5n2 Kitchens during an Aid to Humanity event on April 25, 2021.
