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Food bank gets Easter donations, prepares for upcoming seasons

April 20, 2017   ·   0 Comments

By Jasen Obermeyer

With Easter having arrived and  spring weather with it, the Orangeville Food Bank has been receiving donations from around the community, to prepare for the seasons ahead.

Community drives have included Loblaw’s, Zehrs Orangeville, as well as Upper Grand District School Board’s public schools Princess Elizabeth, Island Lake, and Spencer Avenue, with their food drive called “Upper Grand CAN.” There have been individual donations as well.

The food bank’s busiest time for donations is from October to December, during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, although Heather Hayes, the food bank’s executive director, says that by this time of year, their stock is much lower. “This is a huge time for us, over the next month or so, to build those stocks back up.”

She said the food bank is especially looking for canned stews, canned fruit, canned vegetables, peanut butter, pasta sauce, and lunch snacks for kids, and larger size diapers.

She mentioned the food bank usage in general is up 27 per cent over last year.

“Really our focus right now is we move into spring, and that’s increasing our fresh and perishable donations.”

Ms. Hayes said during the summer, people are thinking about vacations, they are outdoors more, and generally busier than the winter, where they’re inside, and they think about their home and stocking up on food.

“The thoughts of the food bank aren’t always as present in people’s minds at that time of year. It’s extremely important for us to have these drives going forward.”

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