The Cambridge Food Bank is getting a big boost from the province at one of its busiest times of the year.
With a new school year right around the corner and the continuous rise in food prices, the need for support is at an all-time high.
Thanks to the province's Resilient Communities Grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Food Bank has been able to expand its mobile food market, introduce a social enterprise model and add a newly installed walk-in cooler to enhance capacity at its Ainslie Street location.
"The Cambridge Food Bank has consistently demonstrated what it means to lead with innovation and dedication, especially in these challenging times,” said Jess Dixon, MPP for Kitchener South-Hespeler.
“Their commitment to expanding access to fresh, healthy food and their proactive approach to developing new services shows exactly why they are the best choice for both government support and local donors who want to see a real impact."
The newly installed walk-in cooler will improve the food bank’s capacity to accept, safely store and process more perishable foods. This will also allow them to increase food for programs and reduce landfill waste.
Director of operations for the food bank, Amy Slack said that the new storage will nearly double their capacity for cold storage.
"At times before this grant there would be times when we would have to turn food away if our fridge was too full and with the mobile food market all this food would need to be chilled so we were really battling for space back there," she said.
The Mobile Food Market will also see some of the funding as it has served as an affordable and accessible weekly produce market creating seven new community locations.
Slack also notes that the mobile market has become an essential way to help families across the city and reach more neighbourhood associations than ever before.
According to the food bank, this expansion enhanced access to affordable, fresh local produce to more than 800 households across Cambridge and North Dumfries and has gained over 50 unique volunteers each month.
"We are also excited about the new social enterprise program that uses any foods that might come in a little banged up or not appealing to the general public and turns them into jams and relishes to avoid waste," added Slack.
This enterprise also sells baked goods and various small-batch preserves at the local farmers’ markets.
“This grant has been a game-changer for us,” said Dianne McLeod, CEO of the Cambridge Food Bank.
“With the support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, we’ve been able to significantly expand our services, enhance our community impact, and continue addressing the evolving needs of our community in the wake of the pandemic. It’s about more than just food; it’s about building resilience and fostering a sense of belonging for everyone we serve.”
As the new school year starts in a few weeks, the food bank is currently looking to collect as much food as possible to help children go to school on a full stomach.
"We are always in need of cereals, canned fruit, canned meat and any breakfast food," said Slack. "We can be found at pretty much all major grocery stores and at our location on Ainslie Street."
