The NDG Food Depot has been helping Montreal families in need for the last 30 years — and what better way to celebrate than continuing that tradition of giving back.
The community organization, which has helped tens of thousands of Montrealers, is celebrating its anniversary with an open house Tuesday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at its location on 2146 Marlowe Ave, NDG.
Visitors will get to see the depot’s workers in action, listen to live entertainment by local musicians and enjoy a free meal from the depot’s kitchen.
READ MORE: Montreal food banks see spike in visits
The organization is hoping to raise $30,000 to support its fresh food programs, which gives low-income families access to fresh fruit and vegetables.
According to the depot, about 25 per cent of households in NDG live below the poverty line, including one in three children.
READ MORE: Going Hungry: Food bank visits spike across Canada
In addition to providing emergency food baskets to over 4,000 people a year, the depot also offers over 20 programs, such as gardening and cooking workshops, free community meals and after-school programs.
WATCH BELOW: NDG’s food depot helps families in need
The depot started as a modest food bank , distributing 13,700 days worth of groceries to low-income families in its first year of operations.
In 2015, that number increased to 132,650.
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Last year, the NDG Food Depot:
- Served almost 20,000 healthy meals in its cooking and nutrition programs
- Distributed over $140,000 of fresh food for free
- Managed eight gardens in NDG
- Sold over 3,500 kg of local produce in its weekly Good Food Markets
- Led cooking, nutrition and gardening workshops in over 30 schools
Over the past 30 years, more than 15,000 people have volunteered at the NDG Food Depot.
Volunteers will be shaking coin cans outside the depot, at Vendome Metro and at other locations throughout NDG and Westmount to raise money.
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