Tag Archive: client stories

  1. Hannah’s Story: Why food banks are a lifeline during illness

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    Lawrence Heights Community Food Centre is seen from the outside, the exterior is covered in a colourful mural.

    Recently, we received a letter from a client named Hannah from our Lawrence Heights Community Food Space. Hannah is 52, she lives alone, and due to injuries and health issues, she relies on ODSP for income support.

    She asked if we would share her story with you, because she wanted the people who support North York Harvest Food Bank to understand what their kindness truly means to someone going through life’s hardest moments.

    “My name is Hannah, and I want to share a story that is close to my heart. I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for the light you have brought into my life during its darkest chapters. Life has tested me in ways I never imagined. After losing my husband and battling cancer myself, I found myself physically and financially exhausted. Later, a severe car accident and multiple surgeries—including my recent knee replacement—made it impossible for me to work—that I first encountered the food bank.

    ​At first, I’ll admit, I felt a sense of shame. It wasn’t easy to reach out and ask for help. However, as I faced further challenges, the food bank became my steady anchor. Even now, as I recover from knee replacement surgery and remain unable to earn an income, this support continues to be my lifeline.

    A person is visible through a plastic barrier stocking shelves at North York Harvest Food Bank.

    ​I am profoundly grateful for the kindness and the resources provided to me during my darkest hours. You didn’t just provide food; you provided hope.

    Every time we meet, the volunteers greet me warmly and ask about my recent activities, so they are very kind and friendly. For me, who doesn’t go out and just stays at home, meeting them is also a great joy. 

    ​As someone who relies on and deeply appreciates this service, I would like to offer a small suggestion. While all help is welcome, I have noticed a need for more diverse nutritional options, such as fresh meats and vegetables. For those of us recovering from surgery and illness, these fresh ingredients are vital for our physical healing.

    ​Thank you for being there for me when I had nowhere else to turn. I hope my story encourages others to both seek help when needed and support this wonderful cause.”

    Food is never just food, it restores hope, it is stability when income disappears, it is dignity after loss, it is strength while healing from surgery. And Hannah is right, fresh food should not be a luxury. North York Harvest Food Bank’s new Community Food Hub, opening later this year, will vastly increase our capacity to distribute fresh food to community members just like Hannah.

    You can be there for neighbours facing food insecurity, and right now you can provide 5X more support thanks to a matching gift from The Sprott Foundation. Turn $25 into $125 of food support.

    I WANT TO HELP

     

  2. Sonya’s Story: Starting over with community support

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    A woman in a red North York Harvest Food Bank apron serves food to a client.

    When Sonya* arrived in Canada in 2015 with her 11-year-old son Eric*, she was starting over completely.

    She was a single mother in a new country, navigating an unfamiliar language, searching for housing, and trying to figure out how to access basic supports — all while making sure her son had enough to eat.

    In August 2015 Sonya was connected with our Bathurst-Finch Community Food Space, where right away she felt at home.

    “Coming to Bathurst-Finch with a large population of Russian speakers, It was very comforting that someone could communicate with us without a language barrier issue,” Sonya says.

    There, she found food and clothing support, support with immigration papers and documentation, and staff helped Sonya figure out how to apply for ODSP.

    Eventually they met Elis, our Community Services Manager, who has been a steady support as Sonya and Eric have built their lives here in Canada.

    A woman sits at an information booth for North York Harvest Food Bank.

    “We have known Elis for 11 years. She has helped us get on a waitlist for subsidized housing, receive lower-income TTC Presto cards, access medical care before we became permanent residents, and during summer heat waves, Elis connected us with a program to receive a free A/C for our home,” Sonya says.

    For Sonya and Eric, this support made all the difference.

    “We don’t know what we would have done without North York Harvest,” Eric says. “It’s the kind of support that changed our lives here.”

    Today, Eric is studying business marketing, a future that once felt out of reach.

    But like many families across Toronto, Sonya and Eric are still navigating rising living costs. With rent and food prices continuing to climb, North York Harvest Food Bank remains an essential support.

    “If we didn’t have access to these services, we would be in a very different situation right now,” Eric adds. Because I’m a student and my mom’s on ODSP… There’s not much left over after rent and food expenses. Everything that the food bank provides helps us a lot.”

    *Names have been changed to protect client identity.

  3. A Home for Holly

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    This week’s guest blog is a client story by Holly.  Thank you so much Holly for sharing your story!

    Guest blog by Holly B

    My name is Holly and for most of my adult life I have been transient. 

    I also suffer with mental health and physical problems. I am unable to work and found it very hard to settle down. Although for the last couple of years I have found permanent housing. I thought I would be able to do everything on my own.

    I was able to pay my rent, phone and medications with the little money I had. Food was always last.  Being a type 1 diabetic that takes insulin every day, eating properly is very important. I soon found that I could not do everything on my own. I found the closest food bank to me and soon found out I was receiving more than help with my food.  I found a sense of community. I was meeting new people and gave me a good reason to get out of my house and not isolate myself. 

    At this point in my life I was in a bad relationship and the woman who patiently listens to everyone and their problems every Thursday offered me a opportunity to give back to the community and separate myself from my partner at the time. I was given the gift to help every week with deliveries. Now not only have I made new friends, community, help with food in my fridge, I was also given the gift to give back. I no longer just have a place to live, I have a home! 

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