Tag Archive: every plate full

1. A Lot of Plates to Fill

   May 17, 2018 3:45 pm Comments Off on A Lot of Plates to Fill

   Did you know that 918,724 Canadians will use a food bank this summer? Those are A LOT of plates to fill!

   Did you know that food banks around the entire country are teaming up to  fill every plate?

   And did you know that we can’t do it without YOU?

   It’s time for Canada’s Largest Food Drive!

   Join us May 28 – June 8 to put food on the table for everyone in Canada!  Together, with the help of thousands of your fellow Canadians, we are saying NO to hunger this summer!
   

   Your generous contributions through Every Plate Full will help families so they don’t have to choose between paying the bills and putting healthy food on the table.

   Your support allows us to

   Purchase healthy food and meet the growing need across our 47 member agencies and providing items such as beans, canned tomatoes and other healthy staples.

   Provide fresh, seasonal produce to distribute in food banks, summer programs, seniors’ meal programs and many other vital community services.

   Ensure children can access healthy food when they are not in school.

   Meet the needs of people’s specific dietary requirements such as low sodium, high fibre meals.

   Let’s make a huge difference, TOGETHER!

   This year is even more exciting – this year YOU can make your own team pages to raise funds and see your efforts in real time! Through the new Peer 2 Peer giving platform you can form a team or joining an existing one!

   Amp up your employee fundraising at work and have a competition to see who can raise the most funds!  Grab your friends and show the world how much you can raise!  Make things easy for your organization by having an online group to share messages and see your impact.  

   Best of all – it’s FREE to participate!

   Make a team TODAY and join thousands of Canadians to FILL EVERY PLATE!

   Create or Join a Team here!

   Make a single donation here!

    

   Thank you!  Together our country is making a big difference in the lives of people who are hungry!

   Any questions about Every Plate Full? Contact Leslie Venturino at 416-635-7771 ext. 21 or leslie@northyorkharvest.com

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2. Students for Change

   May 6, 2016 8:50 am Comments Off on Students for Change

   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.

   

   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.

   

   1/3 of food bank users are children.

   

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

   

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

    

   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.

   

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

   They approached local stores to sponsor their food drive.

   

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

   

   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.

   

   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.

   

   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. Filling Plates Together

   April 22, 2016 2:02 pm Comments Off on Filling Plates Together

   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.

   

   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.

   

   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 4^th 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.”

   

   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!

   
   
   
   
   

4. Thank You For Supporting Our Spring Food Drives

   May 11, 2015 7:53 pm Comments Off on Thank You For Supporting Our Spring Food Drives

   If you follow North York Harvest’s website or social media accounts, you’ve probably noticed that, over the last few months, we’ve been engaging our community to raise food and fund donations for three major campaigns.

   The North York Harvest Spring Food Drive, Every Plate Full Food Drive, and the Greater Toronto Apartment Association Spring Hope Food Drive, are all designed to keep our shelves stocked throughout the summer. Its a time when your neighbours need extra support as our food supply usually gets critically low.

   Today we’re happy to announce that thanks to your donations and volunteer hours, we were able to raise an amazing $95,000 and 144,235 pounds of food across the three food drives! Your contributions will go a long way towards supporting your neighbours in need, and making sure that none of our clients go without this summer.

   We’d like to send a special thank you to our Spring Drive supporting sponsor Hain Celestial for making the campaign possible. We’re very lucky to partner with such an amazing organization.

   Thank you for your generosity and hard work. To continue to support your neighbours in need this summer, please donate today.

   Donate Online

5. Every Plate Full Food Drive

   May 3, 2015 7:11 pm Comments Off on Every Plate Full Food Drive

   From May 2^nd – 8^th, North York Harvest Food Bank will be joining food banks across Canada for the Every Plate Full Food Drive.

   This Summer 918,724 Canadians will access food banks. It’s a staggering number, and unfortunately, due to lower donations throughout the summer months, many food banks will struggle to keep up with the demand.  This problem has sparked the Every Plate Full Food Drive, a campaign organized by Food Banks Canada, bringing food banks across the country together with the goal to fill the plates of every hungry Canadian this summer.

   We at the North York Harvest Food Bank are thrilled to be a part of this initiative, and we need your donations to help make this drive a success. Every $1 you donate to NYHFB’s Every Plate Full Drive will provide 3 meals for someone in need.

   This year we’ve set a big goal of 30,000 meals raised and we can’t get there without your help. Visit our Every Plate Full Drive page today to start a team, make a donation, or learn more about the campaign.