The shelves at the Innisfil Food Bank, an outreach program of Innisfil Community Church, were bare – until the community stepped up.
John’s No Frills held a food drive last week, collecting 450 pounds (about 204 kg.) of non-perishable food and $600 in cash; this Saturday, Sobeys in Alcona will be holding their food drive; and local schools, now back from summer break, are collecting food to help out.
“It’s been a great response from the community,” said Pastor Howard Courtney. “The shelves are filled, and we have stuff in storage.”
On Tuesday, Mark Southcott, president of the Lefroy-Belle Ewart Legion, dropped by the Innisfil Community Church to give the food bank another boost, presenting Pastor Courtney with a cheque for $2,000.
“It’s from our Catch the Ace lottery,” said Southcott. “The funds raised go to local charities,” including Innisfil Christmas for Kids, and the food bank.
Southcott was given a tour of the food bank, which serves about 88 families each month. That number is up substantially from 2017, when the number was closer to 55. “We’re up thirty percent over last year,” said Pastor Courtney.
“The myth is that people who use the food bank do so all the time,” said the Pastor. The Innisfil Food Bank, which has started to keep records to track the need in the community, found that only 19 percent of clients were what could be termed “regular” users of the service, 47 percent were “intermittent” – using the food bank two to six times a year.
Fully 34 percent were one-time users. “They’re going through a rough spot,” said Courtney. “They come, they get help, and they’re on their way again.”
The Innisfil Food Bank is open on Mondays and Thursdays. Those needing assistance are asked to call ahead to set up an appointment, for “minimal screening,” before picking up a 70 pound (32 kg.) box of non-perishable food items, once a month.
The need has been ongoing and growing – which is why the community response has been so important. “We’re very thankful for this,” said the Pastor.
“We’ve started up Catch the Ace again, so we hope to have more for you in the future,” promised Southcott.
During the presentation, food bank volunteer Donna van Bodegom dropped by with a donation of non-perishable food from her husband Frank’s fiftieth birthday party.
Instead of birthday gifts, guests were asked to donate non-perishable food. Frank van Bodegom owns The Mortgage Station in Lefroy; his birthday collected a whopping 152 pounds (69 kg.) of food – and Donna stayed to sort and shelve the donations.
The Innisfil Food Bank is located at the Innisfil Community Church, 1571 Innisfil Beach Rd. in Alcona. For more information call 705-436-1611, or click here.
