Hunger eradication is not something that can be done solely by one person. It really takes a village at all levels —national, provincial and municipal to work towards a solution. And from food distribution to securing donations and helping multiple local communities at the same time, Feed Ontario has their hands full within the province. …
Laurie O’Connor, Executive Director at the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre has been volunteering at food banks since she was a teenager. She remembers visiting after school and being inspired by the work that was seen. Seeing many people have access to food that they could not afford always made her day, and spending…
The IssueWith the staggering levels of food insecurity in our country it’s hard to fathom good food going to waste yet every year billions of dolllars of quality excess food is wasted throughout all levels of the food chain – from farmers, producers and processors, to retailers and households. This is difficult to grasp especially…
The pandemic pushed food insecurity to new heights in 2020. With businesses closing, unemployment rates skyrocketing and schools shutting down, food banks across Canada were getting ready to welcome the increasing number of clients visiting their food banks. Food bankers have faced many unprecedented challenges in the past, but none like this pandemic. “As we…
In 2006, Lori McRitchie, Executive Director at the Airdrie Food Bank did not know that she would fall in love with the food banking world. The compassion, the support and the kindness are just a few of the characteristics that would describe what she sees every day. “It’s been a long journey for me and…
The theme of National Volunteer Week 2021 is The Value of One, The Power of Many. For the thousands of food banks across Canada, this sentiment rings especially true of the experience throughout the last year. Volunteers have always been the backbone of the food bank network. Before the pandemic, approximately 40 per cent of food…
Heather Richards, now manager at the Peter McKee Community Food Centre has worked with vulnerable populations for many years. When she heard that the Peter McKee Community Food Centre needed someone to run the Food Centre, she knew that she had to step in to help, but it was no cakewalk. Cries for help, tears…
Hunger affects 1 in 8 Canadian households, representing 4.4 million people; 34% of which are children. Food Banks Canada and its network of 638 affiliate food banks across the country shares the weight of that burden. “Together, we play a critical, albeit unfortunate role in Canadian society,” states Kirstin Beardsley, Chief Network Services Officer at…
Food bankers—they are leaders, navigators, and innovators, all working toward a common goal. So it should be no surprise these amazingly dedicated and talented individuals were all ready to spring into action the moment the pandemic started to disrupt everyday life across the country. In order to rally everybody from coast to coast to coast,…
Food bank use is an impossible choice. Most of the time, clients end up at a food bank because of unfortunate situations. It could be job loss, mental or physical health issues, or a vast variety of other reasons. For Mark Leblanc, Executive Director at the Shediac Food Bank, it started as an escape from…
