The London Food Bank kicked off its 34th annual Spring Food Promotion by unveiling an upcoming program aimed at bringing more food to more Londoners in different parts of the city.
The program is based on a partnership between five local community resource centers and the YMCA in southwestern Ontario.
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The YMCA will offer its center office, the Bostwick Community Center, the Stoney Creek Community Center, and the Bob Hayward YMCA as community hubs for the collection of grocery boxes.
The South London Neighborhood Resource Center, Northwest London Resource Center, Glen Cairn Community Resource Center, Crouch Neighborhood Resource Center and LUSO Community Services will all work with the Food Bank to hamper the areas in which they operate .
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This gives Londoners nine additional locations to get services from the Food Bank.
“We’re out in the community to raise funds, but now we’re talking about giving the community food to the people who need it,” said Jane Roy, Co-Director of the Food Bank at London Live with Mike Stubbs.
The Food Bank already has a number of satellite depots in London, but these facilities are unable to distribute items such as fresh milk, fresh produce and frozen meat due to food safety challenges.
Both the resource centers and the YMCA locations will solve these problems by distributing the food bank’s help, removing time and transportation barriers for those searching for food.
The partner organizations will also be able to offer their own unique services to those served by the upcoming program.
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“(The Resource Centers) are actually able to tackle some of the main causes of poverty, they can refer people, they have many programs of their own,” said Roy.
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The YMCA addition not only allows for grocery box pickups in different corners of London, it also extends the time Londoners will be able to do so.
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“Most grocery banks or grocery basket-type agencies are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” said Roy. “The advent of the Y allows Saturday or stays open until 6 p.m., so access is also increased.”
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The YMCA locations work with an appointment-based system where those looking for food call the location in advance with their request so that the Food Bank can offer bespoke deliveries upon request.
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After a request has been made, the YMCA will arrange a time to pick up the grocery box.
The resource centers differ in the way they work, but are supplied with food by the food bank.
“At the resource center in south London, for example, they will make their own set of obstacles … basically it’s every afternoon and it’s a visit,” said Roy.
The program will kick off at the South London Resource Center in early May and roll out at participating YMCA locations the week of June 7th. The remaining four resource centers should be updated by the end of summer.
In the meantime, the Food Bank is asking Londoners for help naming the new program and is taking suggestions on its website.
Today at @ LondonFoodBank1 for the start of this year’s Spring Food Drive. The drive runs from March 26th to April 5th and remains virtual due to # COVID19. The ride wasn’t the only news this morning. A new partnership makes the Food Bank mobile. Details in the next tweet #LdnOnt pic.twitter.com/ebwWfoUEsA
– Andrew Graham (@andrewjwgraham) March 25, 2021
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The annual campaign for spring will be another virtual campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Grocery donations can still be made at participating grocery stores, along with the Food Bank location on Leathorne Street, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Given the current health constraints, Londoners are urged to consider donating money instead.
The Food Bank says $ 25 can provide emergency food to one person for a week, while $ 100 can provide emergency food to four people for a week.
Donations can be made online at canadahelps.org.
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