Tag Archive: donation

  1. $4M gift from The Sprott Foundation Launches 5X Match

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    Transformational $4M gift from The Sprott Foundation Launches 5X Match

    North York Harvest Food Bank is proud to announce a transformational $4 million donation from The Sprott Foundation in support of its new Community Food Hub, alongside a powerful matching initiative that will multiply community giving and expand impact across Toronto.

    This is the single largest donation in North York Harvest Food Bank’s history and a landmark investment in vital community infrastructure in Toronto that supports much more than emergency food access.

    The Community Food Hub is central to our bold strategy to address hunger and poverty in our community. This innovative, community-driven space is designed to meet immediate needs today while tackling the root causes of food insecurity. It will significantly expand North York Harvest Food Bank’s capacity to store, prepare, and distribute fresh, nutritious food, while also supporting long-term solutions such as a shared food procurement and distribution system through its social enterprise FoodReach, skills training, and workforce development. The project represents a shift from emergency response toward sustainable, systems-level change.

    The Sprott Foundation is dedicated to addressing homelessness and hunger in Canada and is particularly focused on innovative approaches that promote self-sufficiency and dignity. Its support reflects a shared belief that lasting change requires new models, deep collaboration, and a commitment to learning alongside communities. 

    “North York Harvest Food Bank is building more than a food facility, they are creating an innovative, community-centered model that addresses hunger with dignity and purpose,” said Megan Lorius, The Sprott Foundation. “We are proud to support this bold approach, which not only increases access to fresh, healthy food, but also tackles the underlying challenges that lead to hunger and homelessness. This is the kind of innovation we believe can create lasting impact.”

    The Community Food Hub will serve as a central anchor for food access across Toronto, while strengthening partnerships with community-based food programs, the food bank’s social enterprise FoodReach, and training programs that help people build stability and economic opportunity.

    “This gift from The Sprott Foundation is truly transformative,” said Ryan Noble, Executive Director of North York Harvest Food Bank. “It allows us to reimagine how food banks operate, moving beyond crisis response toward long-term solutions that restore dignity, build skills, and strengthen our community. The Community Food Hub will change how we support people today and for generations to come.”

    Make 5X the Impact

  2. How Our Community Came Together During Disaster

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    How our community came together during disaster

    On July 16, a tremendous rainfall caused mass flooding and power outages across Toronto, and North York Harvest Food Bank got hit, hard.

    Summer is always a challenging time for food banks. North York Harvest saw the highest number of client visits on record in May, and for weeks had been running critically low on essential foods like pasta and canned fish. In reality, we were already in crisis mode. Then the flood happened.

    Our loading bays were flooded, our freezer broke, one of our delivery trucks was damaged, and water poured into the warehouse.

     

    On top of the infrastructure damage from the flood and power outage, about $20,000 worth of milk, yogurt and other high quality foods were spoiled. These are highly valued products, which our clients often can’t afford to buy for themselves and their families.

    The effects of this damage rippled outwards to our community. As a result, we weren’t able to provide as much food to our community food spaces and the dozens of agencies we support. Some of our partner agencies were also impacted, losing large amounts of inventory and facing significant damage to their food spaces.

    Community Champions

    We put out an urgent call for help, but we could not have imagined the incredible response from our community!

    We were in a crisis, but we weren’t alone. Individuals, community groups, local businesses, and organizations all showed up to help North York Harvest get back on its feet. Our phones were ringing off the hook; everyone was asking how they could help.

    Immediately, the generosity of our supporters was put into action: Shelves, cupboards and fridges were refilled to ensure our clients could access the food they need.

    This couldn’t have happened at a worse time, but this situation reminded us how incredible and compassionate our community is.

    After the flood

    Thanks to our generous supporters, we have been able to repair the delivery truck and get it back on the road. Unfortunately, multiple attempts at repairing the freezer have been unsuccessful. There is a temporary fix in place to keep it operational for now, but it will need to be replaced – and soon.

    The reality is North York Harvest Food Bank has outgrown its current warehouse. Our space and equipment were not designed to meet the demands of the growing number of individuals who rely on our services.

    Given that our warehouse serves as the main distribution site for four community food spaces and hundreds of food programs, maintaining the integrity of our supply chain is crucial. To reduce the risk of another breakdown, we are looking at offsite cold storage space as a contingency.

    “I think this shows just how fragile the network of food banks really is to deal with the crisis that we’re seeing,” says Ryan Noble, Executive Director of North York Harvest Food Bank. “This flood was an acute shock, but we’ve been dealing with a chronic crisis of food insecurity and poverty in this city for years.”

    Thank you to everyone for the support during this challenging time, and for joining with North York Harvest as we work toward our vision of a community where all members can meet their food needs.

  3. North York Harvest Launches 2021 Give 30 Campaign

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    Since 2012, Give 30 has been making a difference in communities nationwide, the United States and Australia. This grassroots movement was inspired by the Muslim faith’s Ramadan which takes place from April 13 until May 12, 2021. Regardless of of faith or background, everyone is encouraged to support partnering community organizations to fight hunger and food insecurity in our communities.  This  year, the campaign runs until August 31, which enables donors to extend their participation past the traditional 30-day campaign period. As a participating member agency, when you make a donation to Give 30 through North York Harvest Food Bank, your donation directly impacts the lives of families and individuals right here in your local community. By supporting one another, at times when we all need it most, we can each make a difference, together. 

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    Find out more about the values, and vision of Give 30  along how this important initiative began with a singular idea and inspiration. Interested in learning how you can connect with others who are also taking part in this global movement? Become a Give 30 Fan on Facebook and follow Give 30 on  Twitter. 
     
    DONATE TODAY

  4. Donating to the Food Bank

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    Want to make a donation of food but not sure what you should donate?  We are asked that question quite a lot around here.  

    We made a Facebook Live video just to help our incredible donors to learn what foods are needed at the food bank and which items are better left on the shelf (or in the fridge).

    Check it out!


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  5. Who is Donating?

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    Who’s donating to the food bank? You and wonderful people in your community are working together to make a difference in the lives of people that are hungry!

    Want to join in and make a donation to support people that are hungry? Click here!