What to know
- Food For Now began during the pandemic, when Daniel Lauzon started handing out food and essential items to people stranded during lockdown, quickly becoming a grassroots, community-led initiative.
- The organization now operates weekly in South Etobicoke, where volunteers gather every Friday to distribute food directly on the street to those in need.
- Demand and community support continue to grow, with lineups increasing and more volunteers stopping to help, drawn by the group’s open, street-level presence.
- Beyond food, Food For Now builds connections, delivering meals to residents unable to attend in person and bringing families and neighbours together through volunteerism.
When Daniel Lauzon began handing out food and essential items to those in need on the streets of Toronto during the pandemic, he never imagined it would grow into something bigger.
But soon, his efforts expanded. Today, Lauzon runs Food For Now in South Etobicoke, a grassroots organization that provides food to the city’s most vulnerable every Friday.
Lauzon tells Now Toronto that he initially wanted to help people who were stranded with no way home during lockdown. He started posting on Facebook, asking people to donate items such as food, blankets, and clothing that he could then distribute.
“It grew very fast… I would drive to people’s porches, pick up like 25 bags, and put them in my car, drive downtown… I found myself almost being the middleman for everyone’s donations,” Lauzon said.
Once lockdown restrictions eased, he found it difficult to continue heading downtown, so he decided to focus his efforts in his South Etobicoke community. There, a team of volunteers meets every Friday at Second Street and Lake Shore Blvd W. from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Lauzon says the team sets up several tables on the side of the road with food to hand out. Despite sometimes facing harsh weather, he believes being present on the street is more effective than operating indoors.
“When you’re inside, let’s say in the basement of a church or community centre, it’s kind of contained and not open to everybody. I found there’s a niche in showing the community that we’re just regular neighbours,” he said.
This approach has also attracted more volunteers, with drivers often stopping by to ask how they can help, according to Lauzon.
And as the help grows, so has the need, with more and more people joining the line.
“I noticed that since last year… it grew from 40 people to 60, 80, the biggest day was like 120 people in the lineup,” Lauzon said.
For those unable to join the line in person, Food For Now operates a pantry that delivers to residents, often serving elderly community members who cannot pick up items themselves.
“We’ll cook it, put it in containers, and then deliver it to certain people in our neighbourhood,” he said. “We’re not a food bank, but we act out of kindness.”
While the initiative is meant to help those who need it most, Lauzon says one of the most rewarding aspects is seeing community members eagerly step in to volunteer.
“It connects the community together,” he said. “We have families that come, mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and I let them participate. It’s good role modeling, showing the kids how to start young and make a difference in people’s lives.”
Although the group operates in South Etobicoke, everyone is welcome, and volunteers are always needed. Lauzon says the group is constantly seeking pantry and non-perishable items, which can be dropped off at their table every Friday.
The group also receives donations from catering companies around the city. In addition, people can support Food For Now financially through their website.
