When Jemma moved to Canada at the start of 2025, she arrived with a background in architecture, a love of buildings and public spaces, and a desire to see Toronto with fresh eyes.
When she wasn’t busy applying for jobs, Jemma spent much of her time exploring the city, immersing herself in Toronto’s neighbourhoods and communities, and paying attention to the small details that make each place feel special.
“I started doing tiny illustrations to document my time here,” says Jemma. “I never intended for the world to see them.”
That changed when she decided to share one video online. More people found her work, then more again — and soon, people were asking if they could buy the tiny prints.
That’s how Toonie Stamps began.
Toonie Stamps is an accessible art project featuring small illustrations — almost double the size of a regular stamp — inspired by Toronto neighbourhoods, landmarks, local businesses, snacks, memories and everyday details. Each print is sold for $2, giving the project its name.
For Jemma, the project has always been about more than creating art.
“I wanted it to be accessible and to champion Canada and Toronto,” she says. “It was about connecting people to the city, highlighting more wonderful things about Canada and Toronto.”
The vending machines are part of that vision. Jemma wanted people to be able to discover and collect the prints in person, almost like a tiny art treasure hunt. The machines will be placed in neighbourhoods across Toronto.
Now, Jemma is using Toonie Stamps to give back. Throughout the month of May, half of the proceeds from each stamp sold will support Daily Bread Food Bank. That means every Toonie Stamp purchased will help provide one meal for the more than one in ten Torontonians who rely on food banks for emergency food access.
For Jemma, choosing Daily Bread felt closely connected to the spirit of Toonie Stamps. Just as her artwork celebrates Toronto’s neighbourhoods, landmarks and local communities, Daily Bread’s work reaches across the city, supporting 144 member agencies and 214 food programs across the city.
“The wonderful thing about Daily Bread is that connectivity to the city, which is obviously important to me and what I do,” Jemma says. “The fact that any funds raised from this isn’t just going to one entity, but to serve the community of Toronto as a whole is really special and important.”
Jemma was also drawn to the way Daily Bread works beyond emergency food access. In addition to distributing food through its network, Daily Bread advocates with elected officials and decision-makers at all levels of government to advance policy solutions that address poverty and food insecurity at their roots.
Through Toonie Stamps, Jemma is helping people see Toronto in a new way — while supporting neighbours across the city.
Learn more about Toonie Stamps and support Daily Bread through the purchase of Toonie Stamps.
