Welland grappling with highest food insecurity in decades
Annual Welland Food Drive aiming to help agencies meet increased demand
(October 10, 2023 – WELLAND, ON) On Saturday, November 4, 2023 the community of Welland will rally together to stock the shelves of The Hope Centre, Open Arms Mission and Salvation Army food banks. This community-led food drive has been taking place in Welland for over three decades on the first Saturday in November.
This year, food banks in Welland are seeing alarming numbers of visitors that are struggling to feed their families. “More people than ever are facing food insecurity in our community with close to 1 in 10 Wellanders accessing our food bank in the past 12 months. We are making every effort to keep food on the shelves” said Jon Braithwaite, CEO of The Hope Centre.
We are helping people who have never before struggled to feed their families. Janice, a mother of 3 children, works a full-time job and finds it difficult to put gas in her car to get to her job and buy food to feed her family. Joe, a father of 4 children, sacrifices the time that he spends with his family to work two jobs so his family can eat three meals a day.
The Welland community and many communities in Ontario are dealing with a food security crisis and local agencies are grappling to keep food on their shelves in order to meet the increasing demand for emergency food.
“We recognize that everyone is feeling the pressure during these challenging economic times”, said Daniel Harrison, Executive Director of Open Arms Mission. “We will only make it through this together and we ask those who are able to give to maximize their giving this year.”
“The Welland community has always answered the call and I have no doubt that everyone in Welland will do what they can to help feed our neighbours in need”, said Monique Finley, Planning Committee Chair of The Welland Food Drive.
HOW CAN THE COMMUNITY HELP?
Welland residents and businesses are invited to participate by donating online or donating food at their doorstep.
Online donations will go towards bulk purchasing of food items to help fill the Welland food bank shelves. To donate online visit www.wellandfooddrive.com
Food donations can be made on Saturday, November 4 when a team of 80+ volunteers will be scouring the street, collecting food donations door to door. Welland residents are asked to put their food donations at their front doors by 10 am on November 4. The food donations will be brought to Club Richelieu on River Road for sorting and distribution.
All donations will be distributed to The Hope Centre, Open Arms Mission and The Salvation Army to help stock their food bank shelves so they can feed our Welland neighbours for the months to come.
For more information, contact:
Jon Braithwaite
CEO, The Hope Centre
jbraithwaite@thehopecentre.net
905-788-0744 ext. 229
Daniel Harrison
Executive Director, Open Arms Mission
daniel.h@openarmsmissionwelland.com
905-788-3800
Monique Finley
Planning Committee Chair, The Welland Food Drive
moniquemfinley@outlook.com