Tag Archive: Support

  1. Students for Change

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    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.

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    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.

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    1/3 of food bank users are children.

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

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

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    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.

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

    They approached local stores to sponsor their food drive.

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

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    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.

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    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.

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    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!

     

     





  2. Who Uses The Food Bank?

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    Your support benefits thousands of people throughout Toronto. Curious about who uses the food bank in your neighbourhood?

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    Would you like to print this and share?

    View the PDF

     




  3. Filling Plates Together

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    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.

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    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.

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    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 4th 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.”

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    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. Amp Up Your Food & Funds Drive!

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    One of the best ways of getting involved with your community is by holding your very own food & funds drive!  This is an awesome way of collecting money and non-perishable items that will go towards providing many meals for your neighbours in need!

    Did you know that there are MANY ways to raise food and funds that are exciting and fun?

    Check out some of these great ideas!

    Host a talent show!

    Invite the entire school including parents and the surrounding community!  You can charge 2 cans for admission and have us come and support you! Don’t forget to live tweet everything!

     

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    Have a street or parking lot party!

    Put out a food collection bin and run a carnival and BBQ. Game tickets can go towards NYH!

     

    Cram a bus!

    Cram a bus with as much food as (safely) possibly and join us at the food bank!  We would love to give you a tour and show you how we sort the food!

     

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    Dress Down (or Up) for Work

    In order for an employee to come wearing something other than usual, they must bring two cans of food or a monetary donation.

     

    Host a Competition for Who Brings in the Most Food & Funds

    Give out prizes like:

    • most food collected per site/office/classroom
    • collected the most money
    • best photos of the food collection staging

     

    Host a Silent Auction or Raffle

    Funds raised from your event will help support over 13,000 people a month with their food needs!

     

    Host a Dance

    Attendees can bring food or a donation to the food bank as their entrance fee.  You can even have a dance off to find out who has the best moves!

     

     

    Have a Garage Sale

    Clean out your unwanted items (one person’s trash can be another’s treasure!) while raising money for your neighbours that are hungry!

     

    Still not sure what kind of fun ideas there are when helping your community? Check out this great list of 87 IDEAS!

    Ready to have a great time and provide meals to your neighbours that are hungry? Contact Leslie at leslie@northyorkharvest.com or 416-635-7771 ex 21 TODAY!

     





  5. Putting More than Food on the Table

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    What do you think of when you imagine a food bank? I used to think of a basic definition of a food bank – a place for people to come to when they need food to feed themselves and their families.  They would get their food and be sent on their way.  That was until I joined North York Harvest.

    You see, through the member agencies that you support through NYH, people are able to access so much more than food.  We like to think of it as Food Bank Plus.  As you may imagine, most of the people that need to use a food bank also are in need of support in many other ways.  This can range from health care, education, connecting with others and maybe even a bed to sleep in for the night.

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    “We like to think of it as Food Bank Plus”

    When you support North York Harvest, your support multiplies and you reach over 47 member agencies throughout this city.  People in your community can access programs and services that they truly need – and that couldn’t be done without you and the amazing agencies that fall under the NYH umbrella.

    So what exactly else does a food bank do other than ensure our neighbours have enough food to put on the table? With so many great agencies, there is no way I would have time to visit them all, so I went to an expert.

    Meet Rowena Power, our Director of Food Distribution.  With a passion for helping others and making a difference in her community, Rowena was drawn to North York Harvest because of the progressiveness in food bank programming.  She loved how clients are able to access so many additional services and get the one on one attention they deserve.  In her role, she is the link between NYH and all of the member agencies we work with.  She is there to provide support, training and even just a listening ear to all the agencies that we work with.  She refers to them as the “hands and heart of the organization”. Rowena told me about some of the incredible programs that run in this city for people in need.

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    With your help, some amazing things happen in your neighbourhood, like:

    • Youth Homeless Shelters such as Eva’s Initiatives provide healthy meals to kids that don’t have a home to call their own.
    • There are prenatal and new parent centres such as The Hincks-Dellcrest Centre. Families can come here for education on many topics that can come up for new parents. They are also able to access nutritious food for themselves and their children.
    • Rexdale Women’s Centre offers a community meal that will serve 40-50 people. A facilitated discussion happens during the meal about important issues facing families today.
    • Lady Ballers Camp is a safe space for young girls to get together and keep fit. Every girl is included in activities regardless of their family income.  They are also taught about nutrition and self esteem.
    • North York Community House serves senior citizens that may otherwise be alone and isolated. They can come in for meals, socialize and access other services.
    • After-school programs like the Boys and Girls Club provide a safe space for kids to hang out, do homework and fill their bellies before their parents get home from work.

    Those are only a few of the amazing services offered to people in your community. I have noticed that the NYH network has so much to offer the community and how incredibly intricate these services are for people in need in Toronto.  I’m amazed when I see the hard work, dedication and generosity that staff and volunteers in these agencies give each day to ensure someone else’s life is touched and not forgotten.

     

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    When you join us on this journey, you too are touching lives through the gift of food. 

    Community members come for the food, but stay for the classes, health care, social connection, assistance and more. 

    Without you, we wouldn’t be able to provide the food and support that keeps these programs running!  Thank you for being there for your neighbours in need whether they need something to eat, guidance or even just a friend that will listen to them.

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    Want to learn more about the programs you reach through North York Harvest?

    Donate today to ensure that we can keep supporting these amazing programs within your community!





  6. We Love Our Donors!

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    Thank you so much for making the end of 2015 amazing! Because of you we were able to provide 2.5 MILLION meals to people that are hungry in Toronto

    Would you like the PDF? CLICK HERE!

    Don’t miss out on our exciting Enewsletter each month! Sign up here:

  7. What’s in Store for 2016?

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    New Year’s resolutions are very common to make at this time of year.   I have definitely thought of a couple for myself, and it has probably crossed your mind as well.  Most of the popular resolutions are to get out of debt, volunteer more, get fit, quit smoking or save money.

    As a new member of the North York Harvest family, I was curious about our New Year’s Resolutions for a city where no one goes hungry.  I sat down with our Executive Director, Ryan Noble, to chat about what is in store for North York Harvest Food Bank in 2016. These are some of the main things we will be partnering with our donors, community and agencies in 2016

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        1. Find a new home for the Lawrence Heights Food Bank

        2. See that the Poverty Reduction Strategy is Implemented

        3. Increase our Industrial Partnership with The Learning Enrichment Foundation (LEF)

        4. Increase our Food Purchasing Program

     

     

     

    Find a new home for the Lawrence Heights Food Bank

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    Our Lawrence Heights Community Food Bank, used to be at our old location in Lawrence Heights. We were unable to have the food bank come with us to 116 Industry Street.  It needed to stay in that area to provide service to the many clients who relied on it for food support.  With space in our old neighborhood difficult to find, we were able to find a home nearby that promised to be a good solution.   Yet two major issues that our food bank clients face is the cost of transportation and disability. The majority of the 2,000 clients who access this food bank living in Lawrence Heights found it difficult to get there. We quickly recognized that to ensure clients would be able to access the food bank it would need to move back to the Lawrence Heights community.  With the support of our staff, volunteer leaders and the Lawrence Heights community, we have been working on a solution that would provide us with an accessible space right back in the community.  With the continued support of donors like you and our dedicated community, our goal is to move back within the next 6 months without interrupting service.  We want to ensure that in the cold winter months ahead, everyone will be able to access the food they need.

     

    See that the Poverty Reduction Strategy is Implemented

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    Recently the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) was passed during a Toronto city council meeting.  The PRS aims to eliminate poverty in Toronto by 2035 with implementations starting in 2016.  The goal is to address immediate needs such as housing, transportation and food insecurity.  NYH has been a big supporter of this strategy since day one and we would like to see it take shape.  The only issue now is what funding will be available for this plan.

    What does North York Harvest want to see addressed as soon as possible?  Public space for food programming.  Many people living in poverty do not have access to healthy food because of where they live.  We want to be able to provide our programs in more communities, but there is a lack of public space for us to run our programs (like our issue with Lawrence Heights).

    The PRS recommends increasing the number of emergency food programs such as food banks in neighbourhoods that have food insecurity and poor food access.

    This would significantly help us serve over 13,000 people each month and would increase access to these programs for our clients.  Click here to find out more about the Poverty Reduction Strategy.

     

    Increase our Industrial Partnership with The Learning Enrichment Foundation (LEF)

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    When we moved into our new home at 116 Industry St, one of the things we were most excited about was the potential for partnerships with many of the great organizations also located here.  One collaboration that we were able to implement right away was allowing students working on their forklift-driving license to use our forklifts and warehouse.  This has helped them complete their training in a live warehouse thus building real work experience.  As we enter 2016, we have some plans to see that partnership expand. We’re hoping to create an apprentice program for on the job training while supporting our warehouse distribution. This will ensure we can move more food through our warehouse to the clients who need it.

     

    Increase our Food Purchasing Program

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    In an effort to make sure that our community has enough healthy food to eat, we have further developed our food purchasing program into the Build a Hamper Program.  The goal of this program is to take our food hampers to the next level by adding more fresh and healthy food.  Many of our food items come through donations from food drives or corporate donations and consist of non-perishable foods.  We would like to increase our food purchasing budget so we can provide more items such as fresh vegetables, dairy, eggs, meat and milk to ensure a more balanced meal for those that access our food banks.  If you would like to learn more about our Build A Hamper program, click here.

     

    We are definitely looking forward to achieving these goals in 2016!  What are your New Year’s Resolutions?

     

    Keep in Touch this Year!!

     

  8. We Had a Great 2015!

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    2015 was a great year at North York Harvest Food Bank and it couldn’t have been done without you!

    Enjoy our 2015 year in review video!

     

    We can’t wait to see what 2016 holds!