By Will McGuirk
Although this is a trying time for all, its important to keep in mind those who were hungry before are still hungry, those who were homeless before are still homeless and those who were helping before are still helping. The difference is there are so many more of us worrying about how we will be feeding our needs in the next while and we too may be turning to food banks to get through.
Feed The Need in Durham, which supplies 57 local food banks, community programs and shelters as well as five school nutrition programs, has launched a food drive this week to get ahead of the potential uptick in need. They set up drop-off locations in Ajax, Clarington and Oshawa for non-perishables on Tuesday and they will be open until close of day Friday March 27.
There are social distancing issues in this approach so the locations are set-up as drive-thru but the best bet is to do an online donation. Online donations can be made at any time and it is an option, during this period, and going forwards. This method , according to Executive Director, Ben Earle whom I spoke with, allows donors to stay at home as per their requirements. Feed The Need can work with suppliers to turn one dollar donated into seven dollars of food distributed. It also allows the organization to purchase what is most required at any given time. And yes that means they can buy such much sought after items as toilet paper, sanitizers, and hand cleaners, none of which are likely to be donated any time soon.
The Covid-19 pandemic and the social distancing requirements in place present challenges for donors but also for the recipients. But Feed The Need are ahead there too and distribution centres have moved in part to at-door take-away rather than choosing from off the shelves inside. Some of those who provided indoor hot meals have switched to cold take-out but each organization is working within its own mandate to best serve its clientele’s health and well-being as they do always.
In 2019 Feed The Need in Durham were able to distribute over one million meals with almost 40,000 monthly visits; 40% of whom were children.
The old saying walk a mile in their shoes may be something to think about for many of us these days. We can learn from those who have been walking those miles on how to cope with this uncertain future, and the more fortunate of us can help carry them through this too.
Donations can be made online at the website on the ‘Response to COVID-19’ page.
In person at:
The Audley Road Recreation Centre - (ARC) (1955 Audley Rd, Ajax
The Delpark Homes Centre - formerly the Legends Centre (1661 Harmony Rd N, Oshawa)
The Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex (2440 Durham Regional Hwy 2, Bowmanville.