Increased use means food bank running low heading into the summer
Jun 23, 2009 - 10:22 AM
By Reka Szekely
AJAX-PICKERING -- The Salvation Army food bank in Ajax is putting out an appeal for donations as increased demand means it's running short heading into the difficult summer season.
"We're low," said Dick Crosby, co-ordinator of community and family services for the organization. "We normally expect to run out of the food we collect at Christmas near the end of August, but we're there now."
The shelves in the basement of the House of Hope Community and Family Services centre on Kings Crescent bear out Mr. Crosby's words. The pasta supply is enough for about two days, there's just a handful of items in the area slated for dry soups and stews and the peanut butter shelf sits empty.
Meanwhile, upstairs, it's a full house at the weekly Thursday lunch offered at the centre with more than 20 people there. In addition to the weekly hot lunches, the House of Hope offers a drop-in cafe on weekdays, including baked goods.
It's no surprise food is running low given the increase the food bank has seen in use. Last May it served 100 families; this year that number jumped by almost 50 per cent to 148. That amounts to 120 more people. Clients can take home food once a month and can come daily for bread. People of all faiths use the food bank and though most are from Ajax, some come from Pickering, just as some Ajax residents head to St. Paul's-on-the-Hill in Pickering.
"It's the economy," said Mr. Crosby. "It's not direct employees of General Motors and their subsidiaries, but it's people associated with it."
That includes folks in the service and construction industries seeing tough times. And it's going to be tough to make up the shortfall.
"Summer's already a bad time. People are at the cottage, on vacation and we're just trying to get the message out."
In addition to nonperishable food, the food bank accepts frozen vegetables at its location and will also pick up donations of both frozen vegetables and non-perishable items.
For more information on the food bank, or any of organization's counselling and advocacy services, call 905-427-7123 or visit 35 King's Cres. in Ajax.
Recommend :