What better way to give back to the community than by enjoying a sweet treat?
That’s right. You can help make a difference for the Cambridge Food Bank by visiting the Hespeler Village Market on Fridays and the Galt Market on Saturday mornings and purchasing baked goods and preserves.
All proceeds go into food security programming that supports the food bank’s mission to build health and belonging through food by creating opportunities for individuals, children and families to improve their physical and mental health.
“Not only are we raising money for our programs, but it is also great for the environment because we’re selling excess food that would otherwise end up in a landfill,” Jamie Berube, Communications Coordinator at the Cambridge Food Bank, told CambridgeToday. “We're excited for our Market Minis Research project at our August markets since we’ve been receiving so much positive feedback. We're asking our community to help us determine the recipe/item we will create and sell at our markets.”
One of the programs benefiting from market proceeds is the Wellness Hub, which supports counselling, support, cooking and health workshops and classes for youth and adults in our community.
“We’ve seen a 40 per cent increase in attendance at our Wellness Hub programs and the reason we’re able to reach and help more people access healthy food is because of our market supporters,” said Berube.
Support for the food bank is more important now than ever.
“Food insecurity has increased quite a bit,” explained Berube. “It is even impacting homeowners and people who are employed.”
According to the food bank’s data, 1,360 households accessed the Cambridge Food Bank for the first time between January and June 2023, an increase of 81 per cent over the same quarter in 2022.
A total of 9,201 unique households (20,330 unique individuals) accessed the food bank during that period, marking a 58 per cent increase from 2022 (and a 60 per cent increase in unique individuals over that same period).
Aside from supporting sales at the market, community members looking to make a difference for those in need could consider donating directly to the food bank.
“Every little bit somebody can donate is very meaningful,” Berube said.
She also encouraged those who give at the holiday season to consider spreading out your giving so that the food bank can continue to offer services and feed clients all year round.
“Monthly donations help us plan in advance and work on a budget. If you don’t have the time or funds to volunteer or give back, just following us on social media, sharing our posts and helping to spread awareness can help reach more people who can help the food bank and the community,” Berube said.
To learn more about the Cambridge Food Bank’s programs and how you can give back, click here.
CambridgeToday is proud to make a difference in our community by highlighting extraordinary individuals and organizations with this Cares feature, a foundational piece of our CambridgeToday Cares program.
The CambridgeToday Cares team's mission is to create meaningful change in Cambrigde - and inspire others to do the same.
