Tag Archive: donations

  1. Guest Blog: Leaving a Legacy

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    1456425774f9c63It would only take a few minutes talking with me to know that the food bank is an important part my life.  No, it’s not because I need to use it myself – any more.  But I remember and I know how much it means to children and families that need them to get by.

    I recently took the time to think about what matters to me in life as I was preparing my will. My family of course.  My children and grandchildren.  But I also thought about how I have been donating to the food bank for many years – and I knew I had to include them in my will.  And here’s why.

    When I was a child, we were poor.  My parents didn’t have the means to give us the life that they wanted for us.  Every day, I would see that all of my friends had things that I could never hope to own.  I would stare in wonderment when I entered their homes and knew that I would never want them to set foot in mine.  I’m a bit ashamed to admit it but I was embarrassed of my life.

    Back then life was hard and there was one part of my life in poverty that will always haunt me.  Not having enough to eat.  That was probably the thing that scarred me the most.  We could never open up a cupboard or fridge and take out something to eat whenever we wanted.  There was seldom any food in the house.  Those were the days when there were very few places to go for food when you were hungry.  Every other week we actually got a decent lunch on my dad’s payday, but the meager amount of food bought that day would only be enough for a few days.  Being invited to one of my friend’s houses for dinner or lunch was something that I would never pass up and going to the free city camp was like heaven because I actually got 3 meals a day for a week.  I would find any excuse to go away somewhere because I knew I would be fed regularly.  Reading a catalogue was more about looking at the refrigerator pages to see what was in them.

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    My sister and I have conversations about when we first had our own jobs and homes, the first thing that we did was stock the cupboards and the fridge.

    Today my life is very different.  I have been blessed with a wonderful family and we never have to worry about where our next meal will come from.  Yet I never forget the days when I was hungry.  And I never forget that there are still children out there who are hungry every day.  It simply shouldn’t happen.

    Remembering the hunger pangs and many days of feeling unwell because we didn’t have anything to eat, I sympathize so much with these children that experience this nowadays.

    So as I think about my legacy, as I think of what I want to leave to this world I think about the food bank.  I have taken care of my family first and I have also made a space for people who are hungry today.  That is one of the reasons that I chose to leave a legacy gift to the North York Harvest Food Bank.  Now that I have left that struggle in the past, I have the means to leave a gift in my will that will benefit other children that don’t have enough to eat.

    No child should go hungry.  Children should never have that kind of memory to deal with. – K.C

    You too can leave a lasting impression in your community by making a legacy gift.

    A gift in your will to North York Harvest Food Bank will ensure that children, parents, grandparents and many of your other neighbours do not have to go a day without enough food to eat.  Because of you, their future will be filled with hope instead of hunger.

    Is a legacy gift the right option for you?

    To find out more about leaving a gift in your will, gifts of securities or estate gifts contact Maria at maria@northyorkharvest.com





  2. Students for Change

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    Food is extremely important in all of our lives.

    It’s a part of each day, whether we are sharing it with others or enjoying it by ourselves.  We make decisions as to whether we want to go to a restaurant to eat, cook something up in the kitchen or just take it easy and order something right to the door.

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    Whether your favourite food is pizza, salad, cookies or the many kinds of food out there, we all have opinions and preferences about the food we eat.

    We can’t live without it.

    This is why I find the statistics of hunger in our own backyard so disheartening.

    Did you know…?

    Over 15,000 people use the food bank in North York every month.

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    1/3 of food bank users are children.

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    54% of people using the food bank will miss a meal to pay other bills such as rent and transportation.

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    33% of the people we serve will go without food at least one day per week.

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    But what can we do?

    As you may recall, a few months ago I told you about Niraj Maharaj, the coordinator of the Food 4 Thought Food Bank at York University.  He saw the need for a food bank for students on campus and went to work making it happen.  He’s not the only person from York University that is making changes in his community.

    Recently, I got a chance to speak with Rumsha Siddiqui, a student at York U. She heard about hunger statistics in her class and was shocked that this is such a prominent issue in a city such as Toronto.  Hearing about this problem made her motivated to make a difference.

    “We are all part of one big community and it bothers me that some of us go to bed with a full stomach while others don’t. I felt the need to do something.”

    Rumsha and her classmates banded together to raise awareness in the community and help their neighbours in need.

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    They visited schools to do presentations, teaching others about hunger in the city.

    They approached local stores to sponsor their food drive.

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    They even ran a cotton candy event with the local student clubs to raise awareness.

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    Rumsha and a few of her fellow students also joined us in the warehouse to volunteer sorting thousands of pounds of food.  She told me how she had a great time helping out.  She said she admired the dedication of the volunteers and staff.

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    In total, the York University students managed to raise 5800 lbs. of food for their neighbours in need! With that incredible donation, 580 people in Toronto will receive a hamper full of good healthy food and be able to put food on the table tonight.

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    What advice does Rumsha have for anyone wanting to fundraise for charity? 

    “Reach out to local businesses – even if you get rejected, don’t give up! We ended up having 3 stores sponsor us and raised a lot of food.  Don’t forget to reach out to your local community and give them the facts.  Just like we had no idea how big of an issue hunger is in our city – most people are also shocked to find out.”

    Rumsha had a great time fundraising for a cause she cares about and so can you!

    The Every Plate Full Campaign is on right now and it’s such an easy and fun way to get together with your friends, classmates, coworkers or even just as an individual to raise money for people in need!  Click here to find out more!

     

     





  3. Who Uses The Food Bank?

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    Your support benefits thousands of people throughout Toronto. Curious about who uses the food bank in your neighbourhood?

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    Would you like to print this and share?

    View the PDF

     




  4. Filling Plates Together

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    Just do it!

    That was Anita Booth’s response when I asked her if she had tips for getting the office involved in charitable efforts.  As Genworth’s Director of Marketing and Community Relations, Anita has spearheaded the company’s fundraising events in our Every Plate Full Campaign.

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    This summer alone, 918,724 Canadians will be using a food bank to fill their plates. National campaign Every Plate Full will bring thousands of people like you together to provide food for people that need it the most.

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    This is the second year that Genworth employees have filled the plates of Canadians that use food banks.  Last year the employees raised $4000 through fun activities such as jeans day (which Anita tells me is very popular at the office) and running raffles.  This year is no different. “We kicked off on April 4th and we’ll spend the month raising money. Each week it’s something new and exciting. We have a 50/50 draw, a raffle for a new IPad and other great items”.

    And it’s more than raising money. “Working together to help others and having fun while doing it is what truly makes this effort a success. The employees really feel good at the end of the day.”

    How can you get your company involved with the Every Plate Full campaign? Anita tells me how easy it is to find a fundraising activity – no matter how small or busy your office may be.  “It’s easy and affordable to do things like jeans day, volunteering, an office potluck, a 50/50 draw or even a draw for a day away from the office. Anyone can get their employees excited about being a part of something no matter what their budget is.  It has also been proven that community involvement is imperative in attracting and retaining new talent.”

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    So what are you waiting for?

    You can get your coworkers involved TODAY and be a part of this incredible nationwide effort to fill the plates of our neighbours! We want to provide 30,000 meals to your community and you can help make that happen! Sign up HERE or contact Shirah at 416-635-7771 x 48 or shirah@northyorkharvest.com and she’ll help you figure out what works for you and your company.

    Want to get involved as an individual or put a team together outside of work?  You can do that too!  Just sign up here! This summer, join thousands of Canadians across the country to ensure all of our neighbours have a full plate!





  5. Amp Up Your Food & Funds Drive!

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    One of the best ways of getting involved with your community is by holding your very own food & funds drive!  This is an awesome way of collecting money and non-perishable items that will go towards providing many meals for your neighbours in need!

    Did you know that there are MANY ways to raise food and funds that are exciting and fun?

    Check out some of these great ideas!

    Host a talent show!

    Invite the entire school including parents and the surrounding community!  You can charge 2 cans for admission and have us come and support you! Don’t forget to live tweet everything!

     

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    Have a street or parking lot party!

    Put out a food collection bin and run a carnival and BBQ. Game tickets can go towards NYH!

     

    Cram a bus!

    Cram a bus with as much food as (safely) possibly and join us at the food bank!  We would love to give you a tour and show you how we sort the food!

     

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    Dress Down (or Up) for Work

    In order for an employee to come wearing something other than usual, they must bring two cans of food or a monetary donation.

     

    Host a Competition for Who Brings in the Most Food & Funds

    Give out prizes like:

    • most food collected per site/office/classroom
    • collected the most money
    • best photos of the food collection staging

     

    Host a Silent Auction or Raffle

    Funds raised from your event will help support over 13,000 people a month with their food needs!

     

    Host a Dance

    Attendees can bring food or a donation to the food bank as their entrance fee.  You can even have a dance off to find out who has the best moves!

     

     

    Have a Garage Sale

    Clean out your unwanted items (one person’s trash can be another’s treasure!) while raising money for your neighbours that are hungry!

     

    Still not sure what kind of fun ideas there are when helping your community? Check out this great list of 87 IDEAS!

    Ready to have a great time and provide meals to your neighbours that are hungry? Contact Leslie at leslie@northyorkharvest.com or 416-635-7771 ex 21 TODAY!

     





  6. Linking Poverty & Poor Nutrition

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    One of my favourite pastimes is looking up recipes on Pinterest and being able to cook new and exciting meals for my friends.

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    When you make your grocery list, you might be thinking of recipes for your family that include fresh ingredients such as vegetables, milk and meat.

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    Unfortunately, for some people in our community, trying many of these new recipes is a luxury they don’t have because they can’t access fresh ingredients.   Many of our neighbours struggle to afford any food let alone food that’s healthy and nutritious. This can lead to choices between filling your belly with healthy items or filling your belly with empty calories to avoid hunger.

    You’ve seen it at the grocery store – the chips, ramen noodles and other processed foods are so much cheaper than what’s in the produce section. I find sales all the time on microwave dinners and sugary cereals, but rarely deals on ingredients for my next salad. Considering how low our dollar currently is, it’s hard for many to afford any fresh produce at all.

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    Lack of proper nutrition is linked to low incomes and food is the most flexible item in a family budget.  During tough financial times, people will purchase the cheaper items in order to save money.  In fact, 54% of North York Harvest’s clients have reported skipping meals in order to pay for bills such as rent, utilities, transportation and food for their children.  33% of our clients go without food at least one day a week.

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    A poor diet can also prove disastrous to one’s health as well.  Some effects of a poor diet include:

    • Fatigue
    • Weight Gain
    • Lowered Immunity
    • Diabetes
    • Dental Problems (bleeding gums, cavities)
    • Poor Sleep
    • Moodiness

    Here at North York Harvest, we strive to provide healthy food items and food education to our community. Every month over 15,000 people depend on North York Harvest for hampers of food.

    IMG_5226Because of the need for nutritious items in a food hamper, we often resort to food purchasing because food donations alone will not provide fresh items such as fruits, vegetables, eggs, dairy and protein.  This is why we have started the Build a Hamper campaign to aide in purchasing these items to support low-income families that need them.

     

    You can help ensure that families receive healthy food items and don’t have to struggle with side effects of poor nutrition. Please help us take our food hampers to the next level. Your donations will purchase nutritious items and make sure that no child, parent or grandparent goes without enough healthy food.

    Next time when you’re out buying groceries for your next nutritious meal think about picking up some items for your neighbours in need.  Here is a list of suggested food items.

     

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  7. Agency Development

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    The Average Agency is volunteer run & has limited resources. This year your funds helped us invest in 4 agencies to increase food, enhance client services & empower agencies to serve their community better.

     

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    CLICK HERE to see the PDF





  8. 2016 Spring Food Drive

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    Every groundhog day, Canada patiently waits to see what Wiarton Willie has to say about how much longer we have to wait out the winter.

    Well… as of February 2, the little critter said we had six more weeks to go and if you’re like me, you can’t wait!  It’s almost time to break out the spring jackets and put away the toques and mittens for another year!  It’s time to walk around in the sunshine surrounded by trees and flowers blossoming and the smell of fresh cut grass.

    Another thing to be excited about is the annual Spring Food Drive!  It kicks off on February 24 and will propel us into the spring season!

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    You make this important event possible each year!  With the food and funds raised during this drive, your neighbours will have enough food to help them get by through off peak times such as the summer.  When kids are on summer vacation, they lack access to the breakfast and lunch programs run by their schools.  But with your help, they will have enough food to give them the energy needed to be healthy and active kids all summer long!

    Don’t let your neighbours in need go hungry!  Help us raise $100,000 & 100,000 lbs. of food this spring and make sure no one in our community goes without food!

    So how can you get involved in this great event?

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    Not sure what food to donate?  No problem!  We have a handy list of all of the top needed items at the food bank! If you’re looking through your pantry for items to donate, be sure not to donate anything expired – please check out this blog post on best before dates for more info.

    Because of your generosity, we are able to provide food for over 13,000 parents, children and grandparents every month! 

    Thank you for making a difference today and every day! 

    Sign up for updates from North York Harvest!