Georgina
December 02, 2008 11:50 AM
More and more people accessing charity
John Slykhuis, Staff Writer
With the grim news of job losses as the economy flounders, more and more Georgina residents are turning to the food bank to feed their families, but donations are down as the need grows.
The Thanksgiving Drive fell short by 15,000 pounds, well below the 30,000 pounds required to the weekly food hampers, Alf Judd, director of the Georgina Community Food Pantry said.
“That target would have enabled us to make up weekly hampers and still have a store of food to begin putting together the Christmas food hampers,” he said. “I’m having to purchase basic foodstuffs to make up the weekly hampers.”
Normally, 75 to 80 individuals and families rely on the food bank weekly, but that number has now soared to 120, he added.
“It’s getting pretty scary,” he said.
Mr. Judd is hopeful the Christmas food drive now under way will make up for the shortfall.
That makes this weekend’s big collection for the food bank, led by York Regional Police at Three District in Georgina, more crucial.
The food drive is being organized by Sgt. Kevin Smith, Const. Karen Wagner and police citizen volunteer Eileen Foster, with many officers and volunteers taking part.
This year’s event will be dedicated to the memory of Mary Queen, the founding director of the Georgina Community Food Pantry who died in a car crash last summer.
The marine unit’s rescue air boat Daawaabin will be at Zehrs in Keswick Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
You are urged to buy a pre-packed bag of food at Zehrs for $7 or bring your own non-perishable food items.
Any donated items will be deposited in the rescue boat.
The bags will be taken to the Georgina food bank headquarters in Jackson’s Point.
The most urgently needed items are canned vegetables, hot and cold cereals, hearty soups (canned/dry), tea and coffee, canned fruit, canned fish (tuna, salmon), canned meats, canned stews, juice (canned/boxes/crystals). powdered and canned milk, canned pasta, peanut butter (500g size), rice (small bags), crackers, macaroni and cheese, snacks for school lunches: granola bars, fruit rollups, cheese/crackers, raisins/craisins and rice crispie squares.
The effort by the police will be bolstered by a visit by the police prison van during the two days, part of the regional campaign launched last month in Vaughan.
A similar food drive last year raised more than $15,000 in food (more than 1,700 bags) and cash donations.
“That was with no publicity. We should be able to double that this year,” Const. Wagner said. “A couple of people handed us $100 bills and didn’t even wait for a receipt.”
Donations can also be dropped off at local churches, grocery stores, fire stations or anytime from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the food bank office on 915 Lake Dr. E.
A special drop-off depot has also been arranged at the Transit Georgina storefront office at 112 High St. in Sutton from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.
The Christmas hamper distribution will take place Dec. 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School for Keswick and at the Kin Community Hall for Sutton and Pefferlaw.