Pay It Forward

This year, all Pay it Forward funds go to Dashmaawaan Bemaadzinjin (They Feed the People).

Toronto-based Dashmaawaan Bemaadzinjin (They Feed the People) is an innovative Indigenous catering company that has been working to support Indigenous seniors and vulnerable community members since June 21st, 2020. What began as a food security project for houseless Indigenous relatives is now a sovereign approach to raising funds and sharing much needed support for Indigenous seniors, families, and vulnerable community members in the city. Building relationships through food and honoring the role of Matriarchs in community by supporting the vulnerable are important pillars of what Dashmaawaan Bemaadzinjin does.

A portion of their profits from catering are used to support the right to food security and wellness for Indigenous peoples on their ancestral lands. Currently, they support the Seniors at Wiigwamen Terrace in Toronto with a bi-weekly produce and prepared meal market, a saturday breakfast program, social dances and celebrations and a weekly lunch meeting to help organize their own advocacy and projects. They work closely with outreach teams and frontline support in the city to share traditional foods with Indigenous people living houseless and bring food to families grieving from loss and traumatic experiences.

You can find the Dashmaawaan team throughout the city at various catering events, community gatherings, festivals and feasts, and at their weekly Indigenous Summer Food Market at the Historic Fort York Site serving their unique style of Indigenous fusions and street-style food.

@dashmaawaanbemaadzinjin

NOTE: We will be adding stand-alone contribution capabilities in time for our first dinner, but for now Pay It Forward donations can only be made during checkout when purchasing a ticket to a Communal Table event.