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.
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.
Some kids love it. Some kids hate it. But it is on the way! The kids are about to go back to school for another year of learning, friendship and fun.
Personally, I loved back to school as a kid. Every year at the end of summer, I got to go to the mall with my mom to buy new clothes and supplies. We’d usually make a day of it and grab some pizza for lunch.
I met Jenna earlier this summer. She told me how she’s really excited to start grade four. Her favourite classes are science and gym class. “I can’t wait to see my friends again and tell them about all the things I did this summer!”
Her mother Trish, on the other hand, is not as excited. Her hours have been cut at work again and she is having trouble paying for Jenna’s school supplies. “Rent is so expensive – I really can’t afford to pay for extra things Jenna needs.”
Trish isn’t the only one feeling the pinch in September. Many clients that come into the food bank struggle with daily expenses. And food is often the most flexible thing in the budget. Unhealthy food tends to be a lot cheaper than fresh foods so those items tend to make it into children’s lunches.
“I always felt terrible when I couldn’t put fresh fruit or vegetables in her lunches – but those things cost so much lately.”
I’ve seen it myself when buying my groceries. Fresh produce prices have been skyrocketing; sometimes it is just easier to get the cheaper items while sacrificing nutrition.
Even though Jenna is still young, she can still tell when there isn’t enough food for a healthy lunch. “Once in a while I get two oranges in my lunch. Those are my favourite! Last year I didn’t get oranges much. Sometimes I didn’t get much to eat at all.”
This year Trish turned to the food bank, “I am always so grateful after going to the food bank. I come home with healthy items for Jenna and myself. Things like bread, cheese and meat so I can make her sandwiches for lunch. And there are even eggs so she can have scrambled eggs in the morning – though I prefer mine sunny side up.”
I’m relieved know that families in Toronto have access to these food banks. No child should go to school hungry.
Luckily, your support of North York Harvest helps us ensure that Trish can fill Jenna’s lunch bag with healthy foods each day. She can also send Jenna off to school having had a healthy breakfast so she can concentrate on her studies.
There are many options to get involved and help our neighbours that are hungry! Together we can provide healthy food for people in our community.
Run a Food and Funds Drive!
There are many different ways to run a Food and Funds Drive – from bake sales, to jeans day to games at a fair. It’s easy and a fun way to team build with your family, friends or coworkers!
We’re in your community at BBQ’s, concerts, festivals and more. Come and see us soon!
Volunteer
There are so many great volunteer opportunities to help people meet their food needs! You could volunteer in the food bank serving clients, help out in the warehouse, hop on the truck to deliver food, join us at events and much more. Check out our volunteer opportunities.
Make a Donation
Your support directly impacts the lives of thousands of adults, seniors and children in our city and ensures that our neighbours have enough to eat. DONATE TODAY!
Donate Food
You can pick up some extra items and drop them off at your local grocery store or fire hall. Or you can make a donation right to the warehouse (including fresh items) at 116 Industry Street. Not sure what to donate? Check out our list of top suggested food items.
People may not think of things like paying electrical bills, storing groceries and supplies or even having a functional bathroom when thinking of a food bank. But these are problems are very real for food banks, youth shelters, soup kitchens and more. Lack of space is a serious issue that charities – especially small ones – face.
Guest blog by Shirah Stern, Development Associate Corporate Giving
Did you know that there are free toy lending libraries in North York? Or literacy programs to prepare children for school? I sure didn’t before I went to visit Weston Area Emergency Services (WAES). WAES is a food bank that falls under the NYH umbrella offering emergency food hampers to people in need. It was there I met volunteer Marlene Jones. And she sure taught me a lot about community services I didn’t even know existed!
Marlene has been volunteering with WAES for almost a year now. After retiring, Marlene wanted to give back because she personally felt grateful for the education and career that she has had in her life. Her passion for health and nutrition naturally led her to a volunteer program that helps people in her neighbourhood access the food they need. “Having access to good food is so important for family health,” she told me. “It’s also important that members of our communities are aware of programs to support people regardless of their personal income or background. Especially if they have kids.”
With four young children, I often wonder why kids don’t come with a manual. We all want to be the best parent that we can and these free resources are a huge helping hand for many that don’t have a ready support network.
As a retired public health nurse, Marlene informs clients of nearby programs that they didn’t know they had access to. These range from parenting programs and educational tutoring to newcomer workshops and recreational activities. And these are available for anyone in the city. Because Marlene shares her knowledge, these families know where they can go to make their lives just a little bit easier.
Marlene shared the joy she feels being able to assistant clients with their food needs and help them get other supports they need. Young, single mothers come to the food bank to put food in their bellies, and walk out with information about summer camp their children can attend. A man struggling with being laid off from work will come in to get extra items for dinner and leave with the number of a service to help him update his resume. There are so many other examples of people in your neighbourhood that benefit from these programs.
Referral services and connections are part of what makes food banks so important to our community. I have worked at NYH for many years and I didn’t even know that some of these programs were available (toy lending library??!!). And working in the social service sector, if I wasn’t aware, I can imagine many other families in our city that could really use these services aren’t aware of them either. Sharing is caring.
I really admire the generosity and thoughtfulness of Marlene and other volunteers at WAES – they truly demonstrate the value of volunteering and helping others in the community. “It takes a village to raise a child,” share Marlene. And she enjoys being a part of it.
Families in our city are accessing programs that are helpful because of connections made in the food bank. It is because of you that we are able to make connections like this happen. Thank you for being part of our village.
Each day many volunteers put their time and heart into making a difference in the community through volunteering. If you are interested in volunteering with us please contact us – we’d love to have you join the team!
Want to know more about free programs offered in the city? Call Toronto Health Connections at 416-338-7600 or 211 to access community resources for anyone.
We as a species are very curious and we want to know the facts. Whether the story is the good, the bad or the ugly – I want to know what is going on in the world around me. And I know how lucky we are to live in a country where freedom of speech is a protected right. This is why I’m thankful that at any time I can pick up a newspaper and find out what’s going on in the world or I can hop online for the latest stories. Whether it’s missing capybaras, politics or the many devastating stories that have happened in the world lately. We want to be informed.
This is why the media is so important. They share our stories. They connect us. Without them, we would be isolated from each other and the rest of the world. From everyday issues to disasters, from pop culture to international developments the media is there to gather all the facts and bring awareness to us all.
Here at North York Harvest we know that what’s happening in your community is something that you care about. We want you to hear stories about the lives of our neighbours in need and the impact you are having. But we know that when we have a great story to tell or want to share about the food drive that is running, sometimes our reach just isn’t big enough.
And that’s when amazing members of the media step in to spread the word.
And so we this is why we are launching our first ever North York Harvest Food Bank Media Appreciation week. So often the amazing media is there, sharing our stories, making sure the people in our community know more about hunger in Toronto, the food bank and people who need to use it.
We are incredibly grateful.
All week we will be shouting out to the amazing media members in our community bringing us all closer together!
To kick us off we turned the tables and interviewed Fannie Sunshine who has been a reporter with Metroland for almost 16 years and covering stories at NYH. She’s been there for release of the Hot Pot Cookbook , our big move to the Learning Enrichment Foundation, to join us in receiving incredible donations and for much more.
Because of Fannie’s incredible storytelling, we feel more connected to our community and think they know us a bit better too.
So it’s time to get to know Fannie better …
What made you get into journalism?
I always liked writing and telling stories from a young age. It came naturally.
Why do you think media is important?
I think we have a role to play in getting stories out to the public and letting them know what is happening. It’s important to know what people are talking about.
As the media, we have a responsibility to do it right. People are curious and want to know what is happening in their city or streets. They want to know about things that affect their daily lives.
Why do you think freedom of speech is important?
I think people have the right to be passionate and say what they feel is on their mind. Not everyone agrees or has the same point of view – people have a right to stand up for what they believe. I would never want it to be restricted and it’s important in our society.
How do you feel about the trust between the media and the public in regards to reporting truth and covering important issues?
In my experience – if it’s a hot topic, the community really wants their voice heard. Sometimes they are pleased with how it is, sometimes they aren’t. We must go to both sides to tell the story and try to convey their point of view as best as we can. Not everyone will be satisfied, but the other side needs to be heard. I try my best to get their message across.
Why do you think it’s important to write about the food bank?
People need to know that food banks exist whether or not they are clients. They should know about what is in their community and where they can go to drop food off. The food bank is an important organization to have in our city – some people might think they will never need it but you never know what can happen. We should support causes in our neighbourhoods. I want to inspire people to contribute to the cause.
Without reporters like Fannie and all of the other incredible members of the media out there – we wouldn’t be able to share our stories with you in the same way.
And so we want YOU to know: You truly make an impact! Thank you to all our incredible local media for covering these stories.
Do you work for the Media? Hit us up and tell us why you think Media is important.
Have you loved reading an article about the food bank or hunger in Toronto? Join us in showing your appreciation for these fantastic people on Facebook & Twitter using the hashtag #mediaappreciation!
Toronto is a diverse city and provides amazing opportunities for millions. Unfortunately poverty still affects thousands of families every day. Some of these facts are surprising if not disturbing. We believe that working together we can make make a difference. We’ve put together an infographic to show you some facts on poverty in the city.
Canada has a long history of welcoming refugees fleeing war, famine and persecution. Since the 1700’s Canada has welcomed refugees around the world. In the 1780’s we welcomed African Americans that were runaway slaves. From 1900-1939 Ukrainians fleeing civil war came to Canada. In the 1940’s refugees of the WWII settled here. In 2009 we welcomed Iraqis fleeing from the rule of Saddam Hussein.
“A refugee is one that flees; especially: a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution” – Merriam Webster
Most recently Canada has opened its arms to thousands of Syrian refugees, and we are proud to do our part.
This is yet another example of giving and inclusive spirit that Canadians have always had. I am glad that we are able to share our amazing country with our new Syrian community members!
Syrian families are just like ours. Moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandpas, grandmas, aunts and uncles; many have moved into our North York community; maybe you’ve had a chance to meet them? As they are settling in, their first step is to meet their basic needs and thus many have been referred to our food banks both to access food for their family, learn more about Canadian food and often as a point of entry to other services in their community. They receive a 3 day supply of food for their families as well as referrals to any other services they may need. We are happy to help them get back on their feet.
The food bank that has seen the greatest increase of newcomers is the Oriole Food Space, located in the Parkway Forest Community Centre at 55 Forest Manor Road. I wanted to share with you what it’s like supporting our new neighbours at the food bank, so I went directly to the expert. Even with her busy schedule, I managed to track down Oriole Food Space Manager, Daffodil Davis, so she could share her experiences with us.
How many newcomers have you seen in the past year?
“Since January we have seen about 300 new faces. Last month we served 60 Syrian households”
What challenges do they face at the food bank?
“I think an obvious challenge is their unfamiliarity with Canadian food. They have trouble with the canned food items such as instant soups and meals. They are more familiar with foods such as rice, sugar, meat, dairy and fresh vegetables and fruit. Part of my job is to help educate them about this new food. I try to help them with ways they can use canned items as part of their meals.”
What other challenges are they facing as newcomers to the country?
“It is a huge learning experience for them. They are still getting used to their neighbourhoods, how to register their children for school and public transportation. Many of them are looking for employment and have a lot of skills to offer but language is a barrier.”
What are some positive responses you have received?
“I know many of them are excited and feel privileged to be here. They are incredibly ambitious people and want to experience all Canada has to offer and give back to their new community.
What are some not so positive responses you have received?
“A lot of attention is being put on them at the moment which can be really hard. I’ve spoken to a few people that feel as though they must always be sharing their stories. Sometimes they feel they are under a microscope because of their situation.”
What other services are available to them through the food bank?
“Here at the Community Centre, they have access to our partners Working Women, who provide programs such as ESL (English as a Second Language) and LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada). We have also facilitated community fairs featuring agencies that offer health care, legal clinics and other government services.”
Can you share an experience or story of working with one of the new refugee families?
“We offer a free food-handling certificate program and many of them are excited to have the opportunity to get the certificate. One woman that loves art and working with children is hoping to get a job in childcare. She was excited that she would be able to work in a kitchen preparing snacks because of this certificate”
What is your takeaway from working so closely with these individuals?
“Their goal in Canada is to find a new life, work, friends, give back to their new home and to be given a chance. They are living in a new country and looking for new beginnings.”
I can’t tell you how proud I am that we as a country were able to step up and support thousands of people in need!
It’s because of you that we are able to give these newcomers a helping hand to get back on their feet! Thank you for your incredible support of our programs throughout the years and especially during these past few months! Together we can give our new neighbours the new beginning they deserve!
Make a Donation 
Run a Food & Fund Drive
Donate Food
Volunteer
Get Social
Her mother Trish, on the other hand, is not as excited. Her hours have been cut at work again and she is having trouble paying for Jenna’s school supplies. 
Marlene has been volunteering with WAES for almost a year now. After retiring, Marlene wanted to give back because she personally felt grateful for the education and career that she has had in her life. 
