Looks can be deceiving. The entrance to Community Food Share in Morrisburg may not seem impressive, but through that door many people find the help they need. In Morrisburg, the Community Food Share office is located at the south east corner of the Morrisburg arena. There are also locations in Winchester and Finch. Tinkess Photo

DUNDAS COUNTY – Food banks in Ontario are seeing unprecedented use, and sadly the numbers keep rising. Here are some sobering stats:

  • Food bank use has significantly increased, with a 31per cent increase in visits between 2022-2023 and 2023-2024
  • A concerning 33 per cent of food bank clients in Eastern Ontario experience going without eating for entire days each month
  • In Eastern Ontario, 1 in 7 households are experiencing food insecurity.
  • Between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, 1,001,150 Ontarians visited a food bank at least once, a 25 per cent increase over the previous year, says Feed Ontario
  • Over the last two years, the number of unique individuals using food banks in Ontario has increased by 73 per cent and the number of visits by 78 per cent, according to a report by Feed Ontario

It’s tough out there, which is why organizations such as Dundas and Stormont County Community Food Share are so important, and why they are fighting so hard to help ensure that no one must go hungry and why we are shining a spotlight on what they do.

Community Food Share has been serving Dundas and Stormont Counties for over 30 years. They started small, serving only Dundas County, but the registered charity has expanded to offer a range of services such as being a healthy choice food bank, offering tax prep assistance, helping to maintain community gardens, act as a community advocate, providing growing futures, providing a Christmas Basket program, and Heat for the Holidays.

Jane Schoones is the team lead at Community Food Share. She explained that there are many factors driving the increase in demand. One group that is driving the increase in visits to the foodbank are working families, people who never thought they would have to go to a foodbank to make ends meet, but that, according to Schoones, is the reality of the situation many people find themselves in.

“You’ve got to pay for heat, you got to pay for everything, right?  So, if they come and see us once a month, it maybe helps their money go a little bit further, particularly I think over the winter months.

“If you’re a senior, you’re on fixed income,” adds Schoones.  “I think with the families, its cost of living, costs of food. With the seniors I think it’s just if you’re only on a pension, that pension hasn’t had an increase. You’re always stretching the penny, well, sometimes stretching the penny, you need a handout. You may not come and see us every month of the year. But if that’s what it takes for you to get by, and you get to have healthy food, because we are healthy choice clients.”

Currently, with demand at an all-time high and their shelves running low, Community Food Share is launching its biggest annual food drive, the Fill-a-Bag campaign, to help ensure no individual or family in our community goes hungry.

This essential food drive helps stock the shelves for the summer months, a time when donations typically decline but the need remains high. Volunteer teams are ready to deliver and collect donation bags throughout North and South Dundas and North Stormont.

On Sat., May 3, reusable or paper grocery bags will be delivered to most households in the villages of Dundas and Stormont Counties. (Some deliveries may occur over the weekend.)

Then, on Sat., May 10, volunteers will return to collect the bags, which hopefully will be filled with non-perishable food items to support local families in need.

While all donations are appreciated, here is what Community Food Share needs the most:

  • They encourage donations of canned and dry goods, with a special focus on:
  • Pasta sauce, soups, canned meat, or non-sugared cereals
  • No glass containers for safety reasons
  • A full list of suggested items is printed on the donation bag

This is their most important food drive of the year. Your donations will directly help them meet the increasing need in our community.

Like to do more, there are several ways in which you can help with this campaign:

  • Volunteer: If you can spare a couple of hours to deliver or collect bags, please contact Team Leader Jane Schoones at 613-898-0781 or leave a message at either of our CFS food banks in Morrisburg or Winchester.
  • Apartment & Rural Residents: If they are unable to deliver to your location, you can still participate by purchasing non-perishable food or a pre-filled donation bag at a local grocery store or making a monetary contribution to the Fill-a-Bag 2025 campaign

Monetary donations are always welcome. Because of relationships that they have built with local merchants, Community Food Share can often purchase as much as $3 worth of food for each $1 they receive. With cash and gift cards they can also purchase important perishables such as milk, eggs, cheese, meat, and fruits and vegetables.

Please send monetary donations to: Community Food Share, Box 563, Morrisburg, Ontario K0C 1X0 or Box 32, Winchester, Ontario K0C 2K0.

Community Food Share has three locations: Please note appointments are required.

497 May St., Winchester, 613-774-0188, winchester@communityfoodshare.ca
Open Monday 10 a.m. till noon, Wednesday 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. and Thursday 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

28 Ottawa St., Morrisburg, 613-543-0065, morrisburg@communityfoodshare.ca
Open Monday 10 a.m. till noon, Wednesday 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. and Thursday 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

4 John St., Finch, 613-774-0188, coordinator@communityfoodshare.ca
Open Thursdays from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. (Make appointment before 8 p.m. on Wednesday for pickup in Finch)

Volunteers are always needed, and every donation, big or small, makes a difference. With your support Community Food Share will continue to fight hunger in our region!

 

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