I got this from Say No to Hunger.ca:
Dear Tracy,
I’m willing to bet there’s not a single person inside your local food bank who predicted they would someday need assistance. A job loss, an illness… we all know a person’s life can change in an instant. We never think it could happen to us.
That’s what Monique* thought.
The 29-year-old mother of four had gone to school and worked her way up to a full-time job as regional manager of a large retailer. But then the recession hit and she was laid off. Just like that, Monique had to choose between giving her kids breakfast and paying the heating bill.
Just like that Monique and her family became one of the 882,000 Canadians who visited a food bank last month.
With food bank use at its highest level on record – 31% higher than before the 2008 recession - Food Banks Canada is working even harder to address the root causes of hunger. We have made some real strides in the last year and are proud to share our successes with you. Successes we wouldn’t have had without people like you.
Increasing Fresh Food in Canada’s food banks
- We met with the office of the federal Minister of Finance to propose concrete policy
initiatives that would increase the amount of fresh, healthy food that would be donated
to Canada’s food banks.
- Read our policy paper:
Helping Farmers and Families Make Ends Meet: An Agricultural Tax Credit
Plan for Charitable Fresh Food Donations
I’m willing to bet there’s not a single person inside your local food bank who predicted they would someday need assistance. A job loss, an illness… we all know a person’s life can change in an instant. We never think it could happen to us.
That’s what Monique* thought.
The 29-year-old mother of four had gone to school and worked her way up to a full-time job as regional manager of a large retailer. But then the recession hit and she was laid off. Just like that, Monique had to choose between giving her kids breakfast and paying the heating bill.
Just like that Monique and her family became one of the 882,000 Canadians who visited a food bank last month.
With food bank use at its highest level on record – 31% higher than before the 2008 recession - Food Banks Canada is working even harder to address the root causes of hunger. We have made some real strides in the last year and are proud to share our successes with you. Successes we wouldn’t have had without people like you.
Increasing Fresh Food in Canada’s food banks
- We met with the office of the federal Minister of Finance to propose concrete policy
initiatives that would increase the amount of fresh, healthy food that would be donated
to Canada’s food banks.
- Read our policy paper:
Helping Farmers and Families Make Ends Meet: An Agricultural Tax Credit
Plan for Charitable Fresh Food Donations
Fasting for Hunger Awareness
- 150 Members of Parliament, Senators and federal political staff fasted for a day during
Hunger Awareness Week to demonstrate solidarity with the almost 900,000 Canadians
who are assisted by a food bank each month.
- 150 Members of Parliament, Senators and federal political staff fasted for a day during
Hunger Awareness Week to demonstrate solidarity with the almost 900,000 Canadians
who are assisted by a food bank each month.
Addressing Childhood Hunger
- We delivered the keynote speech during the National Child’s Day breakfast on
Parliament Hill to highlight the negative impacts of hunger on childhood development
and the necessary steps that government needs to take to address this serious problem.
We continue to work with the highest levels of the federal government
to create better paying jobs and increased training/education
opportunities for those who don’t qualify for employment insurance; to
emphasize the importance of increasing and extending existing affordable
housing agreements and raise awareness of the dire situation of food
prices and lack of availability of affordable food in Canada’s north.- We delivered the keynote speech during the National Child’s Day breakfast on
Parliament Hill to highlight the negative impacts of hunger on childhood development
and the necessary steps that government needs to take to address this serious problem.
It really could happen to anyone.
If you’d like to make a gift now, click here. To learn more about the policy papers presented to the Federal government click here.
We will continue to keep in touch with you about our programs as well as about other ways you can support Food Banks Canada and the almost 900,000 men, women and children who access a food bank each month.
Sincerely,
Katharine Schmidt
Executive Director
Food Banks Canada
PS. Please make today the day you sign up for our monthly donor program. The regular funding provided allows Food Banks Canada to continue to address both the short term need for food and the long term solutions to hunger across the country.
*the name in this story has been changed to protect identity
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