Another year, another spring food drive for the Barrie Food Bank.
As the impact of high inflation continues, families and individuals on social assistance are finding it difficult to make ends meet, and food bank officials say they are seeing greater numbers of families with children and those on fixed incomes using the services.
According to Sharon Palmer, executive director of the Barrie Food Bank, over 3,900 individuals made use of the food bank last month, and usage is up 53 per cent year over year.
Palmer says just last week, an 89 year man came to the food bank for the first time in his life.
"It is disheartening to see the elderly, those on Ontario Disability Support Payments or Ontario Works, and families with children struggling to make ends meet," Palmer said in a release. "More and more often, we are the stopgap that keeps community members from losing their homes. And for those that have lost their homes, we continue to provide food support through emergency bags. The need has never been greater."
The goal of this year's drive is to collect 100,000 pounds of food and $100,000 by the end of April.
"Every contribution makes a difference to someone who is struggling to feed themselves or their family," the food bank stated.
Most needed items include:
- Ensure/protein drinks
- Canned tomatoes
- Peanut butter
- Canned fish and meat
- Soups
- Canned pasta
- Pasta sauce
- Macaroni
- School snacks
- Cereal
- Baby formula
- Shampoo
- Body wash
- Toothpaste
- Feminine hygiene products
- Reusable bags
Donations can be dropped off at any local grocery store, including Zehrs, Loblaw, Sobey's, No-Frills, Foodland, Metro, Freshco, Food Basics, or at the Barrie Food Bank at 42 Anne Street South, Unit 2 behind Pioneer Family Pools.
The food bank is open for donations from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Financial donations are also welcome and can be made online at www.barriefoodbank.org or mailed to P.O. Box 145, Barrie Ontario L4M 4S9, or delivered to the Anne Street location.
Banner image via the Barrie Food Bank
