Across Canada, 31% of Indigenous households are food insecure compared to 13% of non-visible-minority households. Mazon is the only Jewish organization with a mandate to support these communities.

But the situation is even more dire in northern Canada. In Nunavut, 70% of Inuit households are food insecure. That’s almost seven times the national average.

In part these shameful rates of food insecurity are the legacy of forced relocations and residential schooling, which inflicted deep intergenerational trauma and severed Inuit people from the traditional hunting and harvesting networks which once sustained their communities. These historical challenges are further compounded by Nunavut’s high food costs, which often border on the obscene.

But, with the support of our Jewish community, Mazon is fighting back. Last year, Mazon provided more than 70,000 meals through our national network of indigenous-serving partner programs.

Beyond simple meal provision, Mazon also works with Indigenous led projects that use traditional hunting techniques to feed their communities. For the past three years, Mazon has partnered with Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre to support their Inuliqtait country food box program – an initiative designed to circumvent high priced grocery stores and support Indigenous food sovereignty by sourcing meat from local hunters.

In 2024, Mazon is aiming to expand our reach into the hardest hit regions, and, through food, build deeper relationships between Jewish and Indigenous communities. To accomplish this goal, we need your help!