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Second Harvest
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Jessie’s is a non-judgmental, free and confidential centre for youth under the age of 21. Jessie’s relies on the support of Second Harvest for its food program, the provider of fresh, healthy food for the agency.
“Our food program is very important because food insecurity is a critical issue our participants face. Without the support of Second Harvest, our food program would not be able to continue running. Everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy, nutritious and culturally relevant food, and the fact that we can do that is hugely important. We are not just nourishing bodies but nourishing people and relationships.”
Paola, 18, completed high school at Jessie’s last year while pregnant and now visits daily with her eight-month-old son, Pablo, to access programs. “Jessie’s Place means family and acceptance, to me. I’m so far from my home, Mexico City, but I have a family here at Jessie’s where everybody loves and accepts me for who I am – doesn’t matter if I have a child and I’m 18 or 30. They love and care about what I do. They remember my name, my baby’s name, what I do and why I do it.”