Kids in the Bathurst-Finch community will get more active and eat healthier food, thanks to a grant from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.
The neighbourhood is receiving a $5,000 Spark Advocacy grant, part of a new $1.4-million initiative called Spark Together for Healthy Kids. The program is aimed at improving the lives of children in 133 communities across the province."With these grants, we are helping to give our children a heart-healthier start," said senior manager Sharon Brodovsky.The Bathurst-Finch Food Action Team is one of three under-serviced and low-income neighbourhoods in Toronto receiving a grant. The other two are the Greenest City Environmental Organization and the Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services Group.Many low-income residents of the Bathurst-Finch neighbourhood have difficulty buying affordable healthy food in their community.The food action team will use the grant to engage community members and raise awareness of food insecurity issues. The team will work with government and public institutions to develop a plan to bring affordable grocery stores to the community and healthy food into local schools.The Heart and Stroke Foundation is calling for public policies that make it easier for children and their families to eat healthy foods and access physical activities.More than half of Canadian children aren't active enough, about 28 per cent are overweight or obese and almost 40 per cent of people relying on food banks are under the age of 18, the foundation said.