It's critical. The reality is that a child who is malnourished.... This is what we're facing in a lot of communities. It's not just children who are hungry. We're facing children who are malnourished because their parents have to choose between paying the rent, paying utilities and buying quality food or even buying food, period. They're often going to food banks that don't have the diversity for healthy, nutrient-dense, balanced diets. I would say that, rather than a foundation, it is a step in the right direction for providing an additional layer of support.
The reality is that the families with the most critical needs are experiencing extreme financial poverty. They're behind in rent by four to six months. Some of them have parents who are laid off and some don't have access to any additional financial resources, other than those they're receiving through OW, family benefits and the benefits you mentioned.
On top of that, the cost of living, especially in Toronto, is astronomical. Quite often food is the first thing to go or the first thing to be whittled down, given access, on the list of priorities. Unfortunately, it's the most critical thing that children and youth need in order to live healthy, thriving lives.