For the second year in a row, an international array of architects has put pen to paper (or fingertips to mouse) in aid of Drawing for Food, an initiative supporting an organization that assists individuals facing poverty, food insecurity and homelessness in downtown Toronto.

Proceeds from the sale of their drawings, which are being auctioned off online, will go to the Toronto Food Not Bombs food outreach program. Every Sunday for the past several years, Toronto FnB volunteers have been gathering in the city’s Allan Gardens park to dispense around 150 to 250 bags of groceries and meals to those affected by poverty, homelessness or food scarcity. 

In 2023, Drawing for Food raised over $7,000 for food and groceries. The initiative is organized by Stephanie Davidson and Georg Rafailidis (DAVIDSON RAFAILIDIS/Knowlton School), Eira Roberts (MArch I, Harvard GSD) and the Daniels Faculty’s Adrian Phiffer (Office of Adrian Phiffer/University of Toronto).

A broader aim of the initiative, say the organizers, is to explore ways that architectural drawings can be used for public good.

As in 2023, this year’s selection of drawings is broad and includes contributions by an international group of designers, including Alvaro Siza of Portugal, BUREAU of Portugal and Switzerland, Valerie Marshall of Finland and Canada, Doris Thut of Germany, Jean-Benoît Vétillard of France and Ryan Tyler Martinez, Andrew Kovacs and Outpost Office of the U.S., among others. 

Interested buyers can peruse the drawings on Drawing for Food’s auction website, which is now live. Bidding will open on December 1 and end on December 8. 

After the 8th, top bidders will be contacted via e-mail and asked to donate their bid amounts directly to the organization using an online donation portal. Donors will then ship the drawings to buyers. 

Drawing for Food will act as a go-between throughout, hosting the auction site, taking any questions from bidders, and verifying that bids have been donated so that tax receipts may be issued.

To learn more about Toronto Food Not Bombs, visit tfnb.ca.

Drawings in banner by 1. Jean-Benoît Vétillard 2. Outpost Office 3. Ryan Tyler Martinez 4. Valerie Marshall 5. Alvaro Siza 6. Andrew Kovacs 7. BUREAU 8. Doris Thut