Tag Archive: Volunteer

1. You Make It Happen!

   December 6, 2016 6:14 am Comments Off on You Make It Happen!

   This post is all about YOU and how absolutely GRATEFUL we are to have you in the North York Harvest family!

   YOU make it possible to provide food for your neighbours that would otherwise go hungry.

   YOU come out to volunteer, donate funds, show support and be a part of our community.

   Each month your generosity touches more than 15,000 people in Toronto. Thank you!

   Without YOU we wouldn’t have been able to help your neighbours access food this year.

   This year we shared with you stories from many people.  People who were directly impacted because of you.  And those stories are just the tip of the iceberg!

   

   From Jenna, who started grade four this year and loves science and gym class.  And her mom Trish, who had her hours cut at work.  Trish wasn’t sure how to pay the bills.  YOU ensured that Jenna didn’t go to school hungry!

    

   Your support helped Katherine, a dietician at a prenatal drop in program.  With your help, she was able to teach women about healthy eating on a budget.  YOU ensured that they would be able to feed themselves while they were pregnant and continue to provide nutritious meals as their children grow.

   More than 800 York University students use the campus food bank every week.  YOU made sure that they were able to access the food they needed to help them concentrate on their studies instead of hunger.

   

   Marlene, a volunteer at a local food bank was able to give her neighbours more than just food when they came in hungry.  She was able to connect them with free services throughout the city to help them with parenting classes, recreational activities, resume building and more.

   Over 300 Syrians fleeing war and violence came to the Oriole Food Space after arriving in Canada.  There they have found more than food for their families, but the opportunity for a new life, work, friends and a chance.  A chance they wouldn’t have gotten without your support.

   

   And Jennifer who is only 17 years old.  She found herself pregnant and homeless…instead of her original plan to go off to college and start her career.  YOU made sure she was able to feed herself and her son during these tough times.

   

   These are only some of the people that you helped this year alone!  There are thousands more people that you directly impact through your generosity and support!

    

   We can’t do it without you and we couldn’t imagine trying!

    

   Thank you for all you do – it makes a world of difference – to us and the neighbours that you may never know.

   
   
   
   
   

2. 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.

    

   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Food Sorting Supervisor Volunteer

   October 6, 2016 5:17 pm Comments Off on Food Sorting Supervisor Volunteer

   Looking to get some management experience while helping your neighbours in need?

   We’re looking for a Food Sorting Supervisor Volunteer to join us for 3 hours in the morning once per week to facilitate food sorting sessions in the warehouse. A three month commitment is requested.

   In this senior volunteer position, you would train other volunteers to sort donated food products.

   Volunteers follow North York Harvest’s and Ontario Health & Safety Rules and Regulations.  To qualify for volunteer hours, you will need to provide a letter and reference.

   There is only one position of this kind available, apply today!

   Call Kadian at 416-635-7771 x 28 or kadian@northyorkharvest.com

    

4. 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.

    

   
   
   
   
   

5. 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.

    

    

   
   
   
   
   

6. 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!

    

    

   
   
   
   
   

7. 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

    

   
   
   
   
   

8. Connecting Through Food

   July 29, 2016 9:35 am Comments Off on Connecting Through Food

   

   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.