Tag Archive: food drive

1. Looking Back at 2016

   December 30, 2016 6:36 am Comments Off on Looking Back at 2016

   2016 has come to a close.  It’s been quite the year, hasn’t it?  Whether you had a great year or can’t wait for 2017 to start, we can all agree that a lot has happened over the past 365 days.

   Here at NYH, there has been a lot of excitement and progress over the past year.  We’ve seen many accomplishments and triumphs thanks to our amazing clients, volunteers, donors, staff and supporters!  We wouldn’t have had such a terrific year without YOU!

   I asked my colleagues in the office, warehouse and on the front lines what their favourite memories of 2016 were and got quite an impressive response!

   I considered doing one of those end of year top ten lists but then realized that I can’t decide which is the best one!  So here, in no particular order, are some of the great milestones, achievements and moments from 2016!

   2016 was BIG for programs, partnerships, feedback and healthy eating!

   Of course I couldn’t start off without saying THANK YOU for providing food to people in our community!  This year we served more than 15,000 people every month and distributed over 2.3 MILLION lbs. of food!

   On top of putting food on the table for our neighbours in need, there were many other exciting things happening this year, including:

   Child Care Food Delivery

   This year NYH partnered with Learning Enrichment Foundation to bring healthy meals and snacks to over 1400 kids in childcare programs throughout the city.

   

   Mission Kitchen

   For 3 months this year, NYH was able to run a community kitchen in the Lawrence Heights neighbourhood.  Each week, participants came together to learn cooking skills and enjoy a meal together.  Learn more about Mission Kitchen here!

   

   Food Handling Certificates and Meal Programs

   The Oriole Food Space ran a series of community kitchen programs in partnership with Flemingdon Health Centre and Working Women Community Centre, particularly aimed at Syrian refugees. We trained a group of almost 20 Arabic speaking newcomers in food handling and food safety, necessary skills in securing employment in the food sector.

   

   Soup Production

   This year NYH got into the exciting world of food production! We partnered with FoodShare & Foodstarter to form a unique partnership to produce a soup that would help our community meet their food needs.  With the help of students and volunteers, we were able to produce a dry lentil soup that will be sold through FoodShare’s Good Food Boxes & Grab Some Good pop up markets.  Each soup sold will put a soup on the food bank shelf for someone hungry in the community.

   

   Toronto Star Santa Hampers

   This was first year we were able to distribute a healthier hamper for those receiving the Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund Hampers.  Every hamper included perishable items including eggs, cheese, apples and more!

   

   Farm Fresh

   Many of our clients were able to visit community farms in and around the city to see first hand where some of the fresh and nutritious produce that goes to their table comes from.

   

   Client Surveys

   A comprehensive client survey was conducted in our food banks.  Results are being put together now and will be used to guide future programming to ensure clients receive the best service possible!

    

   Logistics Essentials Workforce Development

   Using our warehouse space, we have embarked on a training program for low income individuals to learn skills for the workplace.  Students will learn technical and employments skills as well as receiving certification for Forklift driving, safe food handling and WHMIS.

   

   Lawrence Heights

   Lawrence Heights Community Food Space found a new home at 6 Pengarth Court. LHCFS is also our first community food space to move to the new appointment based model.  This allows clients to have an appointment at the food bank to ensure less wait time, giving them better access to services and supports, and a personal touch.

   

   Staff Training

   Our frontline staff have had extensive training over the past year in non-violent conflict resolution, working in communities that experience gun violence, trauma informed care, food handlers certificates, developing a community of practice, program development, evaluation and implementation

   

   Advocacy Award

   This year we were honoured with the Advocacy Award from the Ontario Association of Food Banks recognizing our efforts towards addressing hunger in the community.

   

   Donor Recognition

   This year we celebrated our donors at Taylor’s Landing.  It was a great opportunity to connect with some amazing people that are helping us provide our services in the community.

   

    Don’t miss the 2016 wrap up video!

   There are so many other great memories from 2016 and this was only just a few.

   Do you have any highlights of the year? We’d love to know!  Leave your memories in the comment section to share your views!

   Here’s to an even more amazing 2017 helping our community meet their food needs!

    

    

   
   
   
   
   

2. Planning for the Holidays

   December 16, 2016 7:21 am Comments Off on Planning for the Holidays

   It’s that crazy time of year! The cold weather and December brings a busy time for us all and if you’re anything like me, you’ve got some holiday plans on your schedule too.  I’m tired just thinking about all that’s going on before we kick off the new year.

   What do the holidays mean to you?  Is it about family and celebration?  Or maybe a time to reflect on your past year and what is to come?  The holidays can be different for every person.

   But, the holidays can be harder for some people than others.  Sometimes they can be much harder than they were just the year before.

   Meet Penny.

   Penny has two daughters aged 7 and 11.  As a single mom, she works full time while her daughters go to school and take dance classes.

   Everything was going well until the unexpected happened.

   All of a sudden, Penny was also needed to be caregiver to her two elderly and sick grandparents.  She had not planned for this kind of bump in the road.

   We’ve all had those times where something unexpected has happened.  Luckily for some people there is financial support or family to fall back on during those times.  Others, like Penny find themselves trapped.

   “I didn’t know what to do.  I’ve always been a planner but I didn’t know how I was going to plan my way through this,” Penny says of the experience, “All of a sudden I had to take care of the whole family – not just myself and the girls.”

   With her family depending on her, she knew that she needed outside help.  She wouldn’t have time or money to take care of everything – especially during this time of year.

   That’s when Penny ended up at the food bank.

   Between the hamper that she receives every other week from her local food bank, store sales and coupon clipping; Penny has found a way to ensure that everyone in her family is able to eat nutritious meals each day.
   

   “If not for the food bank, there’s no way I would be able to feed my family and give my kids the holiday celebration that they deserve.” Penny says, “The holidays are much harder than usual but I’m glad to know that I can get help – anyone can.”

   Penny has been saving up bit by bit to be able to give her kids gifts and a nice dinner.

   “I want them to have what other kids have, they shouldn’t be left out of a holiday.  Thanks to the help we are getting from the food bank – they don’t have to be.”

   Because of your support during the Winter Food Drive – Penny will be able to serve a healthy holiday meal to her whole family and that is something to celebrate!

   Hunger doesn’t hibernate and we can make a difference for families just like Penny’s!

   

   Let’s work together for a hunger free holiday!  Help us raise $250,000 and 250,000 lbs. of food for the Winter Food Drive. 

   No one should go without enough food to eat.

   
   
   
   
   

3. Top Foods to Donate

   December 2, 2016 2:39 pm Comments Off on Top Foods to Donate

   Want to help your neighbours in need but not sure what food is best to donate?  Check out this handy infographic we put together to help!

   

   Get the PDF

    

    

    

    

4. Celebrate the Season

   November 9, 2016 3:24 am Comments Off on Celebrate the Season

   CBC is at it again! It’s almost time to celebrate the holidays and our community by coming together for CBC’s Sounds of the Season in support of local food banks.

   Every year the event gets better and better, raising food and money to help families in Toronto meet their food needs. Last year Sounds of the Season raised $695,000 & collected 21,000 lbs. of food! 

   Whether you participated last year or haven’t had the chance, we want YOU to be a part of this incredible holiday event! Sounds of the Season runs from November 1^st – December 31^st and this year you can join our school champion Beaumonde Heights JMS as they lead the charge for NYH.

   You see, for the very first time CBC and the Food Banks are launching the CBC School Food Drive. 5 schools in Toronto have been chosen – each representing a different food bank, to raise food and funds to provide meals for the holiday season.

   

   As we all know, many people rely on food banks each day to ensure their families don’t go hungry. About 1/3 of people that use food banks in our city are children – and some of those students attend Beaumonde Heights JMS.  I spoke with Tricia, a teacher at the school and she informed me that there are families in their school feeling the crunch of not being able to provide enough food.

   “These students understand what it is like to use a food bank – whether their own family uses the services or if their friends do.  They know how important it is to support others in their community”.

   Beaumonde Heights JMS has hosted food drives for North York Harvest for 14 years! And this year is no different.  All students get involved in the food drive, showing love for their school, neighbours and community.

   They are ready to go with unique fundraising initiatives such as school dances, a “soup kitchen” where students receive a warm meal at lunch and themed food days. Monday is Meat/Protein, Tuesday is Pasta Tuesday, Wednesday is Wah Wah Baby Wednesday, Thursday is Throwback-bring your childhood food favourites and Friday is Heart Smart Fridays!

   The students always have a fun way to join together to help others in need.  Each student is empowered to be an “Agent of Change”. They are encouraged that even though they are young, they can still take that one step to make a difference.

   As a celebration for their incredible work, each school in the School Food Drive will nominate students to join us on December 16 for a huge food sort challenge! CBC’s very own Dwight Drummond has been nominated team captain of Beaumonde Heights JMS. He will inspire the kids in the ways of helping others in their community.

   

   We are absolutely thrilled to partner with CBC, Beaumonde Heights JMS and other food banks in the city! Together we can work towards a hunger free holiday!

   Want to help Beaumonde Heights JMS raise money in support of the community? Click here to help them out!

   OR You can make a donation to support the event RIGHT NOW to be a part of this wonderful annual tradition! Be sure to designate your gift to North York Harvest Food Bank so you know the food will be distributed to your neighbourhood food bank. You can even join the main event on December 2^nd at CBC to hear some incredible music and watch your favourite CBC personalities live in action.

   Curious to learn more about CBC’s Sounds of the Season? Check out all of the festivities here!

   For updates on the exciting School Food Drive – be sure to follow us on Facebook & Twitter!

   
   
   
   
   

5. Changing Lives Through Food

   October 14, 2016 8:25 am Comments Off on Changing Lives Through Food

   Sometimes we don’t realize how much our actions make a difference to people we’ve never even met. But I want to take the time to share with you how your actions of supporting your local food bank have changed lives and come full circle.

   Mr. and Mrs. Perez moved here with their family over a year ago fleeing a very difficult situation back home.  When they arrived, they found themselves needing to go to the food bank to help them get back on their feet.  

   Not long ago I had a chat with them as they were spending time volunteering with us.  They told me that the reason they now volunteer in the food bank is because they want to pay it forward.

   “I want others to know that someone out there cares for them.  Coming from the situation in our past – it can be hard to understand that there are people who actually care.”

   When the Perez family came to Canada, they struggled to find jobs because they didn’t speak English – which in turn meant they struggled to put food on the table for their children.  “It wasn’t until we came to the food bank that we realized people really cared, from volunteers, to staff and donors – everyone wants to make sure that no one goes hungry.  In a country like Canada, no one should have to.” Mr. Perez told me.

   Unfortunately, the number of food bank users in our city keeps growing.  According to the latest Who’s Hungry report, there were over 900,000 visits to Toronto food banks last year. That is a 48% increase in the suburbs since 2008. 

   Mrs. Perez told me that on their first visit to the food bank she was surprised at the kind of options they had, “I was able to find ingredients to make recipes that I used to make for my family back home.  It really helped my children as a lot of this new Canadian food was strange to them”.  Personally when I see the kind of donations that come into the food bank, I am also surprised by the vast variety and selection that sometimes gets donated.  I think it is great that just because a person needs to use the food bank they still are able to have a choice as to what goes into their food hamper, just as they would if going to a grocery store. It’s also important that we have choice to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies.

   It’s great know that Perez family have adjusted to Canada and glad to be a part of our community. It can be really hard picking up and changing your life. There are many worries that one can have in a situation like that – whether or not you’ll be able to have a meal shouldn’t have to be one of them.

   These days Mr. Perez works at a full time job and speaks English very well.  His kids go off to school each day having had a healthy breakfast and he just wants the same for people that are now where he was. Each week the Perez family go to the food bank they used to use but now they do to stock shelves and help others pick out groceries to feed their own families.

   Mr. Perez loves giving back to his local food bank, “I am very grateful that I can give back to people that are just like I once was; worrying about whether their children are going to have something to eat that day or not. If not for the food bank, I might still be worrying.”

   More than 16,000 people will use a food bank in your community this month. Because of you they will be able to leave knowing that their kids (and themselves) will not have to go without a nutritious meal to help them get back on their feet.

   Please consider making a generous donation or volunteering to help our new neighbours get back on their feet.

    

   
   
   
   
   
   

6. The Meaning of Thanksgiving

   September 30, 2016 8:23 am Comments Off on The Meaning of Thanksgiving

   

   Guest Blog by Tina

   What does Thanksgiving mean to you?

   To me it means family, neighbours and community.

   I wasn’t always a member of your community.  My family came here over 20 years ago for a fresh start and I was met with open arms by wonderful families that I now consider to be my family.

   As new arrivals to Canada, we didn’t have the means to celebrate a Thanksgiving meal – but we were invited to share the holiday with a wonderful family that had us over to their home. And that really meant a lot.

   They told us that the true meaning of the holiday is being grateful sharing what we have – they even told us more about our new country and the incredible fresh start and adventure we are about to enjoy.  Thanks to their hospitality – I also had my first taste of pumpkin pie and it remains one of my favourite desserts up until this day!

   These days I volunteer at a local community center that supports newcomers just like I once was. People can go there for food, ESL classes, cooking lessons and job placement support. I get to witness firsthand how generosity from people just like you go a long way to helping people build a new life here in Canada.

   When I think about that special gift we received on our first Thanksgiving – this time of year really gets me in the mood to help people that are struggling to get back onto their feet.  People right in our community.

   This year I will be working with my community center, their staff, volunteers and even families who we’ve helped in the past and are now coming back to pay it forward, to ensure families who are struggling in the neighbourhood have a hot and festive meal on Thanksgiving and have enough food at home all month long.

   And I want to invite you to join me and do the same.

   Let’s Leave Hunger Behind and make this a Thanksgiving to remember. So that 20 years from now, when new families share their stories, they, like I do, will remember with joyfulness, their first fall in Canada.

   We can’t do it without you though!

   Join us for the 2016 Fall Food Drive to make this Thanksgiving and the rest of the fall a special time everyone can be grateful for!

   There are many ways you can join me and the thousands of amazing people in our community working to make a difference!

   Donate – For every $1 you donate, you provide 3 meals to a person that is hungry!

   Volunteer – There are many great opportunities with the Fall Food Drive – join the NYH truck drivers to pick up and deliver food or come out to one of the many great events planned to raise food for our neighbours!

   Run a Food & Funds Drive – This is a fun way to work together as a team with friends, family, classmates, coworkers and anyone else that would like to make a difference!

   Join the Public Sort –Sort food at the NYH warehouse on October 9 for a great way to spend Thanksgiving weekend with your family while ensuring food is sorted and ready to be delivered to families in need!

   Get Social! – Use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media to spread the news about the food drive with these great shareables!

   During this season of Thanksgiving, join me in showing our neighbours that we care about them.

   This Thanksgiving, let’s Leave Hunger Behind.

    

    

   
   
   
   
   

7. Hunger Awareness Week

   September 16, 2016 9:02 am Comments Off on Hunger Awareness Week

   Canada is such an amazing country, there is so much freedom and liberties we have that many countries don’t.  This is why I always find it shocking when I see the statistics of people that go hungry in our country.

   Hunger Awareness Week takes place from September 19-23. This is a week where Canadians like you and I band together to raise awareness for the people in our Canada that have to go without something to eat.

   In fact, on September 16 Hon Laura Albanese, MPP joined us at North York Harvest Food Bank to help us sort food during the First Annual Great MPP Food Sort!

   

   Did you know?

   

   Each day children in our communities may go without a meal. Poverty can lead to poor nutrition and that can affect a child’s grades  and quality of life in the long run.

   

   Every province and city in the country is affected by hunger.

   Who uses the food bank in Toronto? They range from many ages and backgrounds.

   • 1/3 of food bank users are children
   • 15% are seniors
   • 40% are on long term disability
   • 40% have graduated from college or university

   But what can we do?

   We can all take a stand and make a difference in the lives of people that are hungry!

   Get involved with your local food bank and the issue of hunger in your community in the following ways:

   Make a Donation

   A donation of $1 provides 3 meals

    

   Run a Food & Fund Drive

   Get your friends, family and coworkers together.  Be creative and have fun while giving back.

    

   Donate Food

   Great items to donate are canned fish, canned beans, canned tomatoes, rice & baby products

    

   Volunteer

   There are many ways to volunteer! Join us in the food bank, warehouse, on the truck, at events or in the office.

    

   Get Social

   Spread the word on all of your social media accounts about hunger in Canada! Find some Hunger Awareness Week tools here.

    

   You can make a difference for the people that are hungry in your community!

   Check out more photos from the Hon Laura Albanese MPP visit on Facebook

   Find out more about Hunger Awareness Week!

    

    

   
   
   
   
   

8. Because of YOU!

   September 2, 2016 8:00 am Comments Off on Because of YOU!

   This year because of you amazing things happened!  You made a huge impact in the lives of people in your community that didn’t have enough food to eat!  Your donations, food drives, volunteering and support provided an incredible amount of food to people in Toronto!  Thank you!

   

   Cheers to another amazing year and onto the next!

   View in PDF