About Zawadi Connections
Zawadi Connections Inc. was founded in 2022 to build the relationships our food system needs most — between local farmers and the communities that depend on them, between the land and the classroom, between institutions and the people they are meant to serve.
Zawadi Connections was born from a clear-eyed observation: the distance between local farms and the communities that need their food most is systemic. Infrastructure is missing. Relationships are broken. Access is uneven. Zawadi Connections Inc. was founded to close those gaps — through kitchen infrastructure, community education, and the radical act of sharing a meal.
Based in Toronto and rooted in Downsview, we operate as a registered not-for-profit organization, distinct from but deeply linked to Zawadi Farm Inc. Together, the two organizations form a complete ecosystem: the Farm grows and produces, Connections bridges and distributes.
Mission
To build resilient connections between Toronto's local food producers and the communities they serve — through access, education, and celebration.
Vision
A Toronto where every resident has meaningful access to fresh, locally grown food — and every local farmer has meaningful access to the community that needs their harvest.
Values
Food is a right. Every relationship we build is deliberate. Every program is designed to last. We hold the trust of our community with care — for the people here today and those who come after.
Founder
Jessey leads Zawadi Connections with a vision grounded in food sovereignty, community resilience, and his Kenyan roots. He oversees all organizational partnerships — from the TRCA land stewardship agreement to the Richview Industrial Kitchen licensing — and represents Zawadi Connections in every institutional conversation.
Education Director
Jon leads Zawadi's education programming, bringing vermicomposting workshops and food justice curriculum into Toronto schools and community spaces. He is the lead contact for the TDSB partnership application and the 2026 Harvesting Knowledge Conference at Evergreen Brickworks.
Education Program Lead
Corinna works alongside Jon to design and deliver hands-on educational experiences that connect K-12 students, educators, and community members to the living processes of food production — from soil to table.
Zawadi Connections Inc. is a registered not-for-profit organization. Support the work by donating, volunteering, or partnering with us.
Donate NowGet InvolvedThese are the organizations Zawadi Connections is actively working with as of April 2026.
Toronto & Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)
Through the Zawadi Land Stewardship Initiative, we steward agricultural land and generate earned revenue that supports community programs. ZLSI is a registered active TRCA vendor.
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto
Academic partner for the Harvesting Knowledge Conference, connecting our workshops to teacher training and food justice research at the graduate level.
Richview Residence
Kitchen infrastructure partner providing licensed commercial kitchen access for Zawadi Connections Inc. Certificate of Insurance finalized April 2026.
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