Food banks across Durham Region are continuing to struggle to meet the need. Food prices and the cost of living continue to rise, and the number of food bank users continues to increase. But, local food banks are experiencing dwindling donations and resources.
Simcoe Hall Settlement House, located in Oshawa, Ont., is one of the largest food banks in the region. Last month alone, it served nearly 3,000 clients. According to staff, their number of clients is rising, but the contents on the shelves are falling to dangerous levels.
“It’s becoming more and more challenging for us to provide that service,” executive director Tiffany Kift said. “Right now, we are out of a number of items we would essentially put into our family hampers.”
Next year Simcoe Hall Settlement House will be in its 90th year of serving the community, but right now, the level of need and desperation is unprecedented.
“We have never really had to shut down our doors for services, but we’ve had to a few times recently because we just can’t continue to bridge those gaps,” Kift said.
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In hopes to help bridge those gaps and get shelves stocked across Durham Region, a new initiative, All Essentials Saturday, is being launched on April 6. Local resident Terrol Maciver came up with the idea after seeing a lack of donations.
“On Saturday we are hoping people come by between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to drop off essential items,” Maciver said. “Essential items mean food items, new socks, new underwear, hygiene items such as shampoo conditioners, toothpaste, deodorant, because those things are very much essential.
“The shelves that these people are relying on are empty, and that just breaks my heart, so we need to do something about it.”
There will be nine drop-off locations across the region, and residents who can are invited to drop off non-perishable and essential items.
On Saturday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., food banks will be accepting donations at the following locations:
- The Collective Markets (for the Back Door Mission), 83 Centre St. S., Oshawa
- Team Lisa Joy (for Durham Outlook for the Needy), 757 King St. W., Oshawa
- Home Hardware (for Simcoe Hall Settlement House), 64 Baldwin St., Brooklin
- Willow Park Co-operative Food Bank, 610 Beatrice St. E., Unit 15, Oshawa
- St. Andrew’s Food Bank, 209 Cochrane St., Whitby
- Southside Worship Centre Food Bank, 55 Emperor St., Ajax
- St. Paul’s on-the-hill Community Food Bank, 1535 Pickering Pkwy., Pickering
- Courtice Flea Market (for Feed the Need in Durham), 1696 Bloor St. S., Courtice
- Salvation Army Bowmanville, 75 Liberty St. S., Bowmanville
While the event takes place Saturday, food banks say donations are welcome any day of the week. Donations to the Simcoe Hall Settlement House can be dropped off at 387 Simcoe St. S., Oshawa, L1H 4J2. More information can be found on the Simcoe Hall website.
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