Tag Archive: food drive

  1. 7 Reasons to run a Virtual Food Drive this winter

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    A woman wearing a red North York Harvest Food Bank sweater types on a computer stacked on top of a makeshift desk made of boxes of food at the food bank.

    A Virtual Food Drive is an online fundraiser you can start with your work, your neighbours, your sports team – any time, anywhere. North York Harvest Food Bank relies on community food drives to collect essential food donations, but we understand a physical fundraiser might not be for everyone.

    A Virtual Food Drive raises essential funds instead, so we can purchase our most-needed items and distribute them quickly to meet the urgent needs of our community today.

    Here are 7 reasons why this may be the fundraiser you’ve been looking for!

    1. It’s winter-friendly
    Snowstorms, icy sidewalks, and freezing temperatures can make in-person food drives challenging. A Virtual Food Drive keeps generosity flowing, no matter the forecast.

    A woman is seen from behind, stocking full shelves of essential food and diapers at the North York Harvest Food Bank.

    2. Every dollar goes further, $1 donated = $2 Food
    Virtual Food Drives allow North York Harvest to purchase food in bulk — stretching each donation to provide more essential food to our neighbours.

    3. It’s easy to start, anywhere
    No shopping, storing, or transporting bags of heavy food required. Virtual Food Drives can be set up in minutes with minimal coordinating and logistics on your end. Just rally your network, set a goal, and watch the community impact fill up your team’s fundraising page.

    A four-step explainer of how to start a Virtual Food Drive at North York Harvest Food Bank, including setting up your team page and sending email templates to remind folks to donate.

    4. No effort is wasted
    Online donations don’t expire, get dropped and dented, or need to be thrown out. You can know that 100% of your fundraising efforts = 100% impact for our community.

    5. It’s more accessible for everyone
    Virtual Food Drives remove physical barriers, making it easier for people with mobility challenges, busy schedules, or limited transportation to participate.

    6. Support when demand is highest
    Winter is one of the hardest times of year for food banks, as heating costs rise and household budgets are stretched. Your Virtual Food Drive delivers help when it’s needed most.

    7. Turn any occasion into community support
     Birthdays, milestones, team challenges—whatever the occasion, a Virtual Food Drive is a meaningful way to connect with others while making a real difference in North York.

    In the foreground is a box of donated items including food and diapers, in the background a person can be seen handing a bag of donated foods to another individual at the North York Harvest Food Bank warehouse.

    Ready to get started? Your Virtual Food Drive can be run as a standalone fundraiser OR with a physical food drive to give everyone in your network a chance to participate. 

    In just a few clicks, you’ll be on your way to helping neighbours fill plates and nourish belonging across North York. Register your Virtual Food Drive today!

  2. 8 GREAT reasons to run a summer food drive!

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    8 Great Reasons to Start a Summer Food Drive

    Food drives are essential in helping 30,000 clients across our network meet their food needs every month. They’re especially important during the summer, when our shelves begin to empty but the need in our community remains just as high.

    Here are 8 great reasons why YOU should start your very own food drive this summer!

    1. Donations are much lower in the summertime

    An empty donation box for North York Harvest Food Bank sits outside.
    As the warm weather hits, people are focused on planning vacations and enjoying the great outdoors. 

    At the food bank however, that means empty shelves. Summer hasn’t even started yet, but we’re already running critically low on many non-perishable essentials including pasta and canned fish.

    Unfortunately, there is no vacation from hunger. Summer is a critical time for community support, and community food drives play an integral role in ensuring there’s enough food for our clients.

    2. A child’s happy summer starts with good nutrition

    Three children play on a tire swing in a sandy playground setting.

    Children need their energy for all the play and activities that come with summer. But without school snack programs, many families struggle to provide their children with enough nutritious food to fuel their day.

    At North York Harvest, 1 in 4 people we support is a child. By hosting a food drive, you’ll be easing a family’s stress so they can have a great summer, too.

    3. Connect with your community & each other

    Seven people stand around a large container of donated food at a food bank warehouse, smiling and linking arms.

    A food drive unites people under a common goal: to make a difference in your community. It can be started at your work or school, your place of worship, in your neighbourhood, or even within your family.

    For inspiration, read how a food drive at the La Rose townhouse complex turned strangers into neighbours who have hosted community food drives for the past four years!

    4. You’re taking an active role in fighting food insecurity

    An older woman wearing a hat and winter jacket can be seen from behind as she waits for food to be served at a food bank.

    1 in 10 Torontonians turning to a food bank is a daunting number, and it can make someone feel powerless about the situation. By taking this step, you’re empowering yourself and others to take action and directly help people in your own community.

    5. You can inspire others to take action

    Five people pose for a photo around a large box of donated food items inside of a food bank warehouse.

    One food drive can spark more, especially when shared on social media or in your workplace. Be the reason someone you know says, “I can help, too.”

    6. Kids and teens can lead them too

    A teenaged girl stands in a delivery truck full of bags of food donations.

    Food drives teach youth about leadership, community values, and the power every person has to make a difference.

    For inspiration, check out this family food drive that has been supporting North York Harvest for 10 years!

    7. It’s easy to organize, and we’re here to help!

    In the foreground is a box of donated items, in the background a person can be seen passing more items for donation in a grocery bag to a food bank employee.

    Virtual food drive or in-person – raise food or funds it’s up to you!

    Our team will be with you every step of the way to coordinate your successful fundraiser.

    8. Reduce food waste

    Cans of fish sit on a shelf at a food bank.

    Unused but safe pantry items in your home or office can go directly to someone in need – instead of the trash.

    Get started today! To register your food or fund drive and to learn more about our most-needed items, visit here.

    Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, please contact husnia@northyorkharvest.com. 

  3. ISV rallies community to give back

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    Islamic Society of Vaughan joins North York Harvest for day of community giving

    A group of volunteers wearing yellow Islamic Society of Vaughan t-shirts pick up cans and place them in boxes.

    At North York Harvest we’re doing everything we can to ensure our community members can meet their food needs – but we can’t do it alone.

    On November 30 the Islamic Society of Vaughan stepped forward with an incredible gift of $25,000 that was used to purchase nutritious food to support our neighbours in need. Through their donation, we were able to purchase:

    • 6,048 cans of sweet peas
    • 5,100 bags of pasta
    • 10,752 cans of kidney beans
    • 4,320 cans of pasta sauce

    Fifty members of the Islamic Society of Vaughan also joined us at our warehouse to sort and prepare the food for distribution themselves, sorting over  27,700 lbs. of food!

    It was a joyous day of community care, teamwork, and compassion that will send positive ripples out into our community for the weeks to come.

    Check out the video below for a recap of the day!

  4. Annual food drive inspires community pride!

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    How a food drive became a source of community pride

    A mother, father and daughter kneel on the grass packing food donations into a bag

    What happens when you combine a DJ booth, a townhouse complex, and neighbours who are passionate about giving back?

    The LaRose townhouse complex has answered that it’s a much-anticipated neighbourhood party that collects food and funds for North York Harvest Food Bank!

    Matt Foran spearheaded this food drive starting in 2021, getting his family involved to make posters and encouraging his neighbours to join together to help people facing food insecurity.

    With the soaring cost of housing and food, “The food drive notion is very relatable because people recognize it’s tough for them too,” Matt says.

    Fighting food insecurity also runs in the family: His father started the Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank, and his cousins started a food bank out in Sudbury.

    Every year the neighbourhood comes together for the Community Giving Day, an event where folks can drop off donations, but also hang out and connect with their neighbours while Matt often DJs to really make it a party!

    “It’s become a source of community pride,” Matt says, “and it’s become something that people look forward to. When they see me walking my dog they ask ‘when it’s going to happen, what’s our goal?’”

    Each year they try to start with a goal of $3,500 but this year Matt said they had to be ambitious because of the growing need they are seeing in their community.

    This year the food and fund drive exceeded their target, bringing in $6,400 plus 465 lbs of food!

    The Community Giving Day has even spread beyond the LaRose townhouse, with donations coming in from all over the city.

    “it was amazing to see the list of donors and people I hadn’t met before, they heard about it through friends and neighbours. It’s wonderful it brings people together like this,” Matt says.

    Thank you to Matt and everyone at the LaRose townhouse complex, this generosity will directly support nearly 30,000 client visits across our network, and help individuals and families meet their food needs.

    Be a Harvest Hero

    Learn how you can get involved and make a difference as we work towards our vision of a community where all members are able to meet their food needs.

    Start your own food drive!

    OR

    Start a virtual food drive!

  5. Everyone Can Be A Hero

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    Family, friends and relaxation, that’s what summer should be all about. But for many families in our community, summer adds a significant stress as they grapple with additional food costs. In fact, summer is the time of year when our community’s food needs are at a peak, yet we receive our lowest level of donations. With your support, we can continue helping nourish families who turn to North York Harvest to meet their food needs.

    During the pandemic you have helped make the Hamper Hero Virtual Food Drive a major success! While in-person food drives were not possible, the generous support North York Harvest received from families, schools and community groups was incredible. As we head into the summer months, the positive response continues with an increasing number of community members participating in virtual food drives. Our community continues to need your support, and we’re pleased to be able to help families with your contributions.

    Here are some tips for increasing the impact of your Virtual Food Drive

    Goal Setting: While it may seem simple, setting a fundraising target creates excitement for everyone who donates. Consider setting a reward for meeting your target to get everyone even more engaged.

    Make It Special: Select a date and host a kick-off event that gets everyone on board. Consider engaging your network by sharing a video about the work that North York Harvest does.

    Give Regular Reminders: Keep your group updated on the success of your Virtual Food Drive by sharing via social media platforms. Encourage everyone who has contributed to share on their social media channels and remember to tag North York Harvest too!

    Are you interested in hosting a virtual food drive with your friends and family? Find out how you can get involved.

  6. Cash VS. Cans

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    There’s been lots in the news recently about how best to support food banks. We’re grateful for all of the ways our community takes action against hunger, and each type of gift is essential in making sure 16,000 people each month have the food and support they need to thrive.

     

    Join the Winter Food Drive today!

    Make a Donation

    Register Your Food & Funds Drive

    Collect Funds Only By Setting Up An Online Giving Page

     

    Together we can make a difference and leave hunger behind!

  7. Thanksgiving Media Day

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    October 8, 2017

    10am-12pm / 1pm-3pm

    Every year, during our Fall Food Drive we invite the media to our office and warehouse. This event allows the media to focus attention on food insecurity in our communities during Thanksgiving.

    The media will film and photograph volunteers sorting food in our warehouse and interview staff.

    We’re looking forward to welcoming families to sort food with us on media day.

    We will have 2 sorting sessions: 10am to noon and 1pm to 3pm.  During the afternoon session we will be visited by Mayor John Tory members of the Northern Heroes – local superheroes dedicated to fighting hunger!

    Media inquiries – please contact Aniska Ali at aniska@northyorkharvest.com / 416-635-7771 x 26

     

     

  8. Looking for Volunteers

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    Are you looking for a fun way to get involved with your community and make a BIG impact on the lives of your neighbours that use the food bank?

    We’re looking for volunteers and we have so many positions available to suit your needs! 

    Looking to volunteer for just a day or two?

    We offer one time volunteer positions for the Spring Food Drive!

    We are currently in need of drivers assistants to help our truck drivers pick up food for the following dates:

    Thursday April 20 (9am -4pm)

    Friday April 21 (9am -4pm)

    Monday April 24 (9am -4pm)

    To sign up for a shift, call Lisa at 416-635-7771 ext. 29 or lisa@northyorkharvest.com

     

    Want to come in for an evening with family and friends?

    Every Tuesday evening we offer sorting sessions for families and friends!  Learn how YOUR help in the food sorting room goes a long way to ensure that your neighbours get the best food possible! It’s a great way to have fun, get some exercise and give back!

    To join us on a Tuesday evening from 5:30-7:30 call Kadian at 416-635-7771 ext. 28 or kadian@northyorkharvest.com

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    Are you looking for an opportunity to bring your coworkers in for a volunteer experience?

    We offer corporate volunteer sorting sessions!  It’s a great way to learn about food insecurity in your community and work as a team to help make a difference!

    For Corporate Groups contact Shirah Stern at 416-635-7771 ext. 48 or shirah@northyorkharvest.com

    For Community Groups, Schools and other groups contact Leslie Venturino at 416-635-7771 ext. 21 or leslie@northyorkharvest.com

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    Want to be a volunteer on a regular basis? 

    There are many positions that let you get involved with your community on a weekly basis!  We’re in need of the following positions:

    FOOD SORTERS

    We’re looking for core sorters to join us in the warehouse to sort through donations before they reach the food banks

    Monday, 12:30pm to 3:30pm

    Wednesday, 12:30pm to 3:30pm

     

    FOOD BANK VOLUNTEERS

    img_4541Lawrence Heights Community Food Space (Lawrence/Allen area)

    Tuesday, 1pm to 5pm – distribute food hampers

    Tuesday, 8am to 12pm – receiving food orders

    Room to Grow Food Bank (Kipling/The Westway area)

    Wednesday, 9:15am to 12:30pm – receiving food orders

    Oriole Food Space (Don Mills/Sheppard area)

    Monday, 9:30am to 1pm or 1pm to 3:30pm – receiving food orders

    St Vincent de Paul Food Bank (640 Glenholme Ave) is in need of volunteers twice per month to help unload groceries from the truck (typically the second and fourth Thursdays of the month).

     

     WORKING ON OUR TRUCKS

    DSCF0159 l

    Driving Assistants

    We need some volunteers who can spend a day with our drivers.  See first hand where our food comes from and where it goes.

    To become a regular volunteer, call Lisa at 416-635-7771 ext. 29 or lisa@northyorkharvest.com

     

    Want to learn more about volunteering with North York Harvest? Learn more about what our volunteers have to say here!