Records were broken this year — but when that pertains to demand at the local food bank, it's not good news.
“Every food bank in Canada is experiencing this surge in usage,” said Innisfil Food Bank coordinator Donna Sawyer. “In 2023, we served 1,822 households, this year we served over 1,900. Last year, 236 new families came to see us; this year, it's 282."
Over 1,900 boxes of food have been donated to people in need in the community this year.
“Prior to mid-December, we were ordering food regularly to supplement the donations coming in," Sawyer said. "I had not seen my storage room that empty at this time of year, so it was concerning to me.”
Fortunately, community members and groups filled the store room and stepped up to help, including an "amazing" team of firefighters who sorted food on Dec. 17.
“Mid-December, everyone who had been doing food drives for us began bringing in their donations so we could process them and get them ready for the holidays,” Sawyer said.
“The Rotary Club's Sandycove train event ran three nights and collected 4,000 pounds of food and five thousand dollars — so our teams came in to sort each day so that the bins could go right back out the next night and get refilled. There were Rotary members, South Simcoe (Police Service) Auxiliary officers as well as Pastor Howard's team from the church, out each night collecting and presorting food.”
“Many hands make light work: we had teams put together to come in for us to sort the Sandycove Train food. St. Peter's Church and the firefighters brought in their own full teams and we also had a bunch of townspeople who had asked to volunteer that went through the 2 tons that arrived from that event,” Sawyer said.
“Team really does mean: Together Everyone Achieves More.”
Sawyer explained that many people and businesses gave monetary donations to the food bank to help residents in need at a time when “every dollar counts.”
“We are so grateful to see our community members reach out and give our members a hand up; it's really heartwarming,” she said.
“We saw many creative initiatives that gave us the proceeds ... Scrooge the Ticket, Holy Cross's 'Candy-grams' sales, (and) a few ladies had sold the things they knit or crocheted and donated their earnings to us. This town is amazing.”
In total, 560 families require ongoing assistance, which is up from last year’s 457.
“We see the need growing and (we) are meeting that need, but we need to work together to see this continue,” Sawyer said.
She will likely have to place an order for food as early as Jan. 2.
“(This) is new for us," Sawyer said. "Last year, I didn't have to order (food) until the end of January, and the year before, it was mid-February. We are definitely going through more food — and money — than ever before.”
For those able to donate, the food bank requires oatmeal, pancake mix, syrup, peanut butter, jam, and Kraft Dinner.
“We could not continue to meet the need without our generous community. We are so grateful,” Sawyer said.
The food bank is located in Innisfil Community Church (1571 Innisfil Beach Rd.).
Learn more about the food bank by visiting its website.
