Project Background:
Youth living on Ontario Works 
(OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) face some of the most severe and persistent levels of food insecurity in Ontario. Despite being disproportionately impacted by poverty and systemic barriers, their voices remain largely absent from public conversations about food justice, welfare reform, and basic income. This project seeks to change that by creating a youth-led, community-rooted anthology that uplifts the creative expressions and lived experience of young people on welfare navigating food insecurity.
The anthology invites youth aged 18–35 to share their experiences through creative forms such as poetry, prose, personal reflections, photography and visual art. Visual art submissions are encouraged to include a brief (250 words or less) artist statement to offer context and deepen the impact of each piece.
This project seeks to center BIPOC, Queer and Trans, and Disabled youth as we are disproportionately represented among welfare recipients and our experiences with food insecurity are profoundly shaped by intersecting systems of oppression.
10 submissions will be selected for inclusion in the anthology. Accepted artists will receive an honorarium of $300. Selections are based on relevance of submission to the theme, with a priority given to intersectionally marginalized voices.
We hope that the final anthology, available for free digitally and in print, will serve as a powerful advocacy tool. Through creative expression and storytelling we aim to humanize youth, highlight policy gaps, challenge stigma, and amplify the collective call for dignified, adequate income support. We hope to share the anthology with community organizations, policymakers, anti-poverty advocates, academic institutions, and the wider public to highlight the urgent need for increased OW/ODSP rates. Ultimately, the project seeks not only to document experiences, but to nurture solidarity, empower youth as storytellers and advocates, and contribute to broader movements working toward food security, dignity, and the right to nourishment for all.
Eligibility: Youth (aged 18-35) with lived experience of Ontario Works and/or Ontario Disability Support Program. Note that you do not need to be an artist to submit.
Deadline for submissions: TBD.
Honorarium: One-time payment of $300
Email for contact/questions: anthology@tyfpc.ca
Submission Guidelines:
- All submissions should be on the topic of ‘Food Insecurity as experienced by youth on Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program’.
- Text submissions should be 500 words or less. These can be poetry, prose, personal reflections or excerpts from longer writings
- Visual art submissions are encouraged to include a brief artist statement (200 words or less). An artist statement is a paragraph or two that can explain and/or contextualize your work. It can communicate what you hope audiences will understand through or about your work and the topic(s) it highlights.
- Accepted formats include: Google Form, or physical drop off in lockboxes (details below) present at select locations. If alternate arrangements are required for you to submit, please send an email to anthology@tyfpc.ca.
- Submit via google forms:
- Submitting via lockbox: 3 locations to be released.
The lockbox submission is available if you don’t feel comfortable using the google form. Only TYFPC staff will have the key to the lockbox.
The slot size of the lockbox is:
The location and hours of access for the lockboxes are:
If submitting via lockbox you must include your name and contact information with your submission
Optional information to include:
Pronouns
Bio (a few sentences about you)
Do you identify as:
- Black
- Indigenous
- Person of Colour
- Disabled
- Immigrant
- Person using substances
- Woman or Non-binary
- Queer
- Trans
- Un/Underhoused
- Living in an encampment
- Sex worker
- No access to generational/familial support or resources
- Experiencing an unlisted marginalization
Please specify Access Needs:
Artist Statement:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the selection criteria and eligibility requirements?
Selection prioritizes relevance of your submission to the theme (food insecurity), and platforming intersectionally marginalized voices. This includes but is not limited to Trans Youth, BIPOC youth, those without access to generational or familial housing/food/resources. For this reason we strongly encourage you to identify your lived experience. We are actively aiming to decentre artistic merit as a selection criteria for submissions – you do not have to be an artist to submit.
Youth (aged 18 – 35) with experience of living on Ontario Works and/or Ontario Disability Support Program are eligible.
Do I have to use my legal name for my submission?
No. You are welcome to use a preferred or artist name. Note that we will need your legal name for payment and consent forms though.
Will I get paid? How much? When?
Yes. Each selected participant receives a one-time $300 honorarium.
The anthology will be a free publication available on the internet so it does not generate book royalties for anyone. After the selection process is complete we will virtually meet with artists and gather consent for the works to be published. After this we will pay artists (anticipated date May 2026).
Is there flexibility in mode of payment?
Yes. We are able to offer honorarium in the form of e-transfer or cash. For cash payments we may need a signature that you have received payment. If neither of those work for you please let us know what you prefer instead and we will try our best to dispense your honorarium in your preferred format.
What is the timeline of this project?
The submission deadline for our call out is April 1st. We will take 3 to 5 weeks to review, select and notify applicants. During May we will finalize paperwork (consent forms and payment info for selected submissions) and send selected works to our zine designer who will then take approximately 3 to 6 weeks to create the publication. The publication should therefore be launched in June/ July 2026.
Will I maintain ownership of my work if it is selected?
Yes. The rights to your work are owned by you. We are not interested in purchasing rights to your work. We are interested in platforming the work through this anthology and possibly share excerpts and photos onto our website and/or social media. These will always be shared with full credit to the artist. In order to be published via this project you would have to sign consent for the work being used in this way.
Where will the anthology be published?
The anthology will be available on the TYFPC website, the Office of Social Innovation’s website, and hopefully on your platforms too! As a free publication, it can be downloaded and posted anywhere on the internet or printed into a physical copy. We are inviting grassroots community groups led by individuals navigating poverty and OW/ODSP to host it via their platforms as well. We hope to share a full list once this information is finalized.
Is Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program involved in this project in any way?
No. We have not contacted, associated or communicated with Toronto Employment & Social Services or the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services in any way for this project. We do not know if they are aware of this project or not and do not have control over this.
Who funded this project?
This project is funded by the Social Innovation Fund through Toronto Metropolitan University’s Office of Social Innovation.
Is this part of a research project run by TMU?
No. This anthology is a project of Toronto Youth Food Policy Council (TYFPC) and is intended to platform and uplift the voices of youth on welfare navigating food insecurity. The TYFPC is not making a profit off this project, participating in any TMU based research for this project, or run or funded by TMU.
Does the TYFPC have experience with OW/ODSP?
Yes. There are multiple members on the TYFPC who have experience with OW/ODSP and the food insecurity that comes with it.
Will there be an in-person launch event?
We really wish there would be! At this time we do not have capacity and funding for an in-person launch event. If at any point we do gain capacity to officially launch a publication which has your work in it, we will reach out and connect with you about it.
Can I stay connected or get involved with TYFPC beyond just the anthology?
Hopefully! We love to make new friends
If you are interested in connecting or collaborating with the TYFPC please send us an email at info@tyfpc.ca
The council is open for new applicants annually, but we are always interested in receiving ideas for collaborating and connecting so please reach out regardless of when in the year it is and we will get back to you as soon as we can.