(12) Food Banks Canada: Advocating for the Hungry

Food Banks Canada’s Advocacy Resources

This Government Relations Resources page has been developed with smaller food banks in mind - those that may have few or no paid staff, and that may have not had the time or resources to put into creating and sustaining relationships with their local, provincial and federal government representatives. It is our hope that, having these resources at your fingertips, you will be able to increase your engagement with government and work towards long-term solutions to hunger in your community.

This page contains:

(1)   a 34-page government relations guide, with sections on engaging with both government and media
(2)   sample media alert, media release, and key message documents
(3)   a list of questions that can be asked of candidates during an election
(4)   templates for various documents that can be changed and added to as necessary

Food Banks Canada’s Government Relations Guide

The guide was designed with smaller food banks in mind, and can be used to begin or increase your government relations activities. The strategies food banks choose to utilize will depend on the time and resources available at each location. Contents include:

   Getting started in government relations
   Meeting with elected officials
   Letter-writing campaigns
   Media relations
   Organizing a public meeting
   Election activities
   Quick time government relations activities

Please click here to access the guide.
http://www.cafb-acba.ca/documents/Member_GR_Toolkit_July2009_revised.pdf

Samples and Templates

Please use the following documents as needed to support your government relations activities. The samples are documents used by Food Banks Canada in the past year, while the templates are Microsoft Word-format documents that can be opened, saved to your own computer, and changed to incorporate the information you wish to present to government, the media, and the public.

Suggested election questions

Sample media alert

Sample media release

Sample key messages 

Template - Letter to the Editor

Template - General letter to an elected official

Template - Request a meeting with an elected official

Template - Hunger Fact Sheet

Template - script for calling an elected official

Template - Post-meeting thank you letter
If you have any difficulty downloading our materials, please contact Food Banks Canada office at:

Tel: 416-203-9241 Fax: 416-203-9244
Tel: Toll free 1-877-535-0958
E-mail: info@foodbankscanada.ca
 

There is incredible diversity among food banks in Canada in terms of size, staff and volunteer complement, number of people assisted, and amount of food distributed. The capacity of food banks to engage in government relations activities also varies, with some food banks highly engaged and others not at all.


http://www.cafb-acba.ca/advocacy.htm