Tag Archive: groceries

1. Summer Heroes

   June 5, 2018 2:54 pm Comments Off on Summer Heroes

   What if you simply couldn’t afford the food your child needed to be well?

   That’s an issue that I must face each day.  

   My name is Jessica. My 9 year old son, David, lives with a disability. His doctors say he has to avoid processed foods with lots of salt and sugar because they can make his condition worse.

   As you know, it’s much easier to afford processed foods than it is to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and whole grains.  It can be such a struggle just to get a healthy meal on the table.

   That’s why I am so grateful for North York Harvest Food Bank as well as the donors and volunteers that make these programs possible. Being able to visit the food bank makes giving David the food he needs so much easier.

   

   I know how much these foods matter to families using food banks, not just from the impact they make in my home, but through my volunteer work. I’ve been volunteering at the food bank for as long as I’ve been a client. When we have fresh food to offer, I watch my neighbours faces light up.

   I come home from every volunteer shift knowing I made a difference.

   And we need YOU to help us make a difference more than ever this summer!

   Summer is a difficult time at the food bank. Food donations aren’t as frequent so we have less food to share. With the kids out of school, they don’t have access to school food programs that are vital to their health.

   So many of the families I see at the food bank are going through the same thing. This is why your support is so important right now.

   By making a gift to North York Harvest, they can purchase the food our communities need, so no one is forced to go without during the summer.

   I know what a difference your support of the food bank  makes. Every time I sit down with my kids at the table to share a meal, I feel grateful that I’m part of a community that cares so much about each other.  

   Be a Summer Hero and your impact will be TRIPLED this summer. Every $1 you give, will be stretched to $3 worth of meals for people in need of food in your community! DONATE TODAY!

2. Everyday Hero

   May 12, 2017 5:17 am Comments Off on Everyday Hero

   ^{Guest blog by Shirah Stern}

   Not all heroes wear capes.

   One everyday hero located right in your community is Kayla*. I recently had the opportunity to meet Kayla at the North York Harvest Annual General Meeting back in February. We were in a workshop together and she shared her experiences as a food bank volunteer. I needed to hear more so I could share her story with you.

   Kayla has been a volunteer at her local food bank for more than two years dedicating her time six days per week. This is quite incredible as Kayla suffers from many health issues such as a degenerative disk disease in her back, panic attacks, insomnia and is waiting to have knee surgery. This doesn’t stop our hero though; she chooses to work through the pain to make a difference in the lives of her neighbours in need. “If I could have sleepovers here I would!” jokes Kayla.

   Kayla’s tasks at the food bank include receiving deliveries, stocking shelves, serving clients and records management. She even packs and delivers food hampers for the “Fresh Start” program that does home deliveries for seniors as well as those unable to physically make it to the food bank. The services she and her other fellow volunteers provide benefit children, families, seniors, those with disabilities and people who can’t leave their home.

   

   _{A typical food hamper from a NYH food bank}

   Regardless of Kayla’s health problems, she feels that giving her time at the food bank gives her something else to focus on and a purpose. She strives to make a difference in the lives of her fellow neighbours. This can be done through her daily food bank tasks or even going above and beyond to help someone in need. One particular story of Kayla’s is a time that she was able to assist a client with her job search. The client had needed to know CPR in order to be eligible for a job but could not afford the training. Kayla took the time to research and found a course that was offered for free.

   Kayla told me that seeing a smile on the face of someone she has helped is so rewarding in her work.

   It absolutely blows me away when I see this kind of dedication from volunteers. And it is throughout the network! Each day volunteers take time out of their day to come in and help their neighbours meet their food needs.

   Without your support, we wouldn’t be able to have incredible stories like this to share. From you to me, me to Kayla, Kayla to the client and back to you again – we are really part of something bigger than ourselves. I feel that being able to share these stories truly closes the circle of connectivity in our community

   Join Kayla in being a community hero!

   Together we all work as a community to make a difference for more than 15,000 people that access these types of programs each month!

   Donate today!

   Volunteer!

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3. Spring Food Drive

   March 3, 2017 4:59 am Comments Off on Spring Food Drive

    

   Spring is in the air and our office is buzzing!  Okay, yes I admit, these past few weeks have felt like we’ve experienced all four seasons at once – but trust me… Spring is almost here!

   To celebrate the amazing weather on the way, we are kicking off the Spring Food Drive and we want YOU to be a part of it!

   The Spring Drive is so important for making sure that the pantries are stocked during the warmer months to ensure no one has to go without!  Together we can make sure that everyone meets their food needs! 

   Help us raise $100,000 and 100,000 lbs. of food!  Your support will help more than 15,000 people each month using food banks, meal programs, prenatal/early parenting programs, community kitchens and other vital services throughout the city.

   Getting involved with the food drive is a lot of fun and helps so many people! Just ask Lauren, who has been running food drives for more than ten years!

   

   “I first heard about North York Harvest back in 2005 when I was 14 years old.  A NYH bag came to our house with the local newspaper letting us know how we could help,” says Lauren. “I decided right then to do a food drive. At 14 it was a really cool thing to do. Our first food drive raised 170 pounds and its increased so much since then!”

   

   Lauren and her parents have made food drives not only a family tradition, but a tradition within their neighbourhood.  “I love going door to door to see everyone in the neighbourhood.  A lot of the people I grew up with still give every year because they know that people rely on our help. It has become a real connection to the community.”

   What are Lauren’s tips for running YOUR food drive?

   • It is much easier than it looks and it is much more rewarding too! Its benefits are huge!

   • You need a flyer or brochure – we’ve had the same one for the past 10 years! Update it with suggested items from the website. Click here for some handy materials for your drive!

   • We grocery shop as a family and sometimes with a few neighbours as well –add such items as baby formula, canned proteins. Living in a multi-cultural city and community, we also try to contribute spices and different types of food. Click here for a list of suggested foods to donate

   Over 400 people rely on the food bank EVERY DAY.  You can help!

   What are you waiting for? Sign up today to make a huge difference in your community! 

   

   Looking for other ways to get involved with the Spring Food Drive?

   • Make a donation. Just $10 provides 30 meals!
   • Set up a fundraising page on our website so your friends and family can donate.
   • Volunteer your time. Join us in store, on the truck or at the public sort.
   • Make a donation of groceries in your local grocery store.
   • Connect on social media and spread the word!

   Check out the food drive kit that we put together just for you! It has everything you need to run an incredible food drive!
   

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4. 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

    

    

    

    

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. Winter Public Sort

   October 3, 2016 3:40 pm 2 Comments

   THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THE WINTER PUBLIC SORT!

   This year’s winter public sort takes place on December 10th!  

   Every year we welcome families looking to give back and help their communities during the holiday season.

   To get involved this year, please contact Jane at 416-635-7771 x 31 or email jane@northyorkharvest.com

   We will have 2 sorting sessions: 10am to noon and 1pm to 3pm.  

   Please check out the pictures from last year on Facebook (and make sure you like the page)!

    

   Learn more about available volunteer opportunities and how you can give time to make a difference.

    

   
   
   
   
   

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. 2015/2016 Stakeholder Impact Review

   September 9, 2016 1:26 pm Comments Off on 2015/2016 Stakeholder Impact Review

   The Joy of Food

   This has been one incredible year.  We want to celebrate YOU and all you do for people in your community with the release of our 2015/2016 Stakeholder Impact Review.  Because of your support, thousands of people are able to experience the #joyoffood!  In fact, almost 5 MILLION meals have been served and it wouldn’t have happened without you by our side.

   Click here to see your impact!