About Us

5N2 is not open to walk-ins; only referrals will be admitted

Core Values

Compassion, Integrity, Collaboration

Mission

Fighting food insecurity in our communities

Vision

Creating equitable access to food support in marginalized communities

“When I spoke to people about my vision, I began to see that there are many people who have the heart to serve, but simply need a platform to give of their time and resources.”

– Seema David, Founder

Who We Serve

We strive to minimize hunger and food insecurity in our communities. We work with partner organizations to bring fresh, warm meals to local residents, serving at food banks, shelters, seniors buildings, drop-in centres and apartment buildings.

How We Got Started

5N2 was founded by Seema David in 2013. Seema immigrated to Canada in 2007 from India and was shocked by the homelessness evident on the streets of Toronto. As Canada’s financial capital, Toronto was supposed to represent a place of opportunity – not hardship. After meeting other recent immigrants struggling to feed their families, Seema was determined to help her new community.

Seema has dedicated her life to ensuring that many marginalized people can access fresh, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food support. She started 5N2 while serving food out of her church’s kitchen. With just a handful of volunteers, Seema managed to arrange for a public health inspector to inspect the property. This labor of love quickly outgrew the small church kitchen, and she leased a nearby commercial kitchen with the small donations she had.

When the pandemic struck, 5N2 did not shut its operations. Instead, it quickly adapted to a delivery model despite dramatically reduced volunteer numbers. Meals and pantry support kept going out to those in need. Upon learning that 5N2’s lease would not be renewed, Seema took it upon herself to ensure continuity of operations. She fought to secure a new location for the charity to continue her mission of keeping her neighbors fed.

With the crucial support of City Councillor Paul Ainslie, 5N2 formalized a new home at Progress Avenue in 2022. After a year of struggling with eviction, 5N2 returned to work – work that was increasingly needed.

Over the last few years, the demand for food support and the number of families facing food insecurity has risen dramatically. The current inflation and cost-of-living crisis are affecting our community’s most vulnerable, and 5N2 is working hard to ensure that no one goes hungry in Scarborough and the GTA.

Today, 5N2 distributes 4,200 free meals and grocery support to the residents of Scarborough each week.