The Cambridge Food Bank is hoping the community will step up and help them fight food insecurity.
It's asking, if you're able, to add a few items to your grocery list to donate to those in need.
Currently, tomato or pasta sauce and tuna are the items needed most.
Donation bins are set up around the city, including at Sobeys, Zehrs, Freshco, fire stations, City Hall, Home Hardware Preston, Food Basics and the No Frills on Franklin Boulevard.
Food can be dropped off in-person at the Cambridge Food Bank at 54 Ainslie St S.
Becoming a monthly donor is also an option.
Monthly donors help ensure consistent support, a long-term impact and assists the food bank in being able to adapt to unexpected circumstances.
Dianne McLeod, executive director of the Cambridge Food Bank, shed light recently on the need for donations, saying as fast as food comes in, it goes out.
"The funds are used to buy more food for emergency assistance and our community pantry program," McLeod said.
"It’s hard to describe unless you're here, it feels like we're constantly stocking shelves."
It's a notion that's backed by 2023 statistics.
McLeod's team served 10,000 individuals a total of 43,000 times in the past year, a 39 per cent increase over 2022. Of those totals, 34 per cent were children.
The food bank is set to get 21 per cent of the recent $1.5 million in funding given to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region as part of the 2024 regional budget, with most of it going towards acquiring and distributing food.
For more information on the Cambridge Food Bank visit cambridgefoodbank.org.
