Food Banks Canada fights childhood hunger

DURHAM — Food banks in the Durham region will receive food kits for impoverished children in need of food during the summer.

For their third year, Food Banks Canada packed food kits for children through its After the Bell program. On Tuesday, May 15, more than 200 volunteers packed 20,000 food kits to be donated to food banks in eight provinces and one territory.

According to Food Banks Canada, in March of 2016, 7,400 people were helped by a food bank in the Durham Region, 34 per cent of whom were children and youth under the age of 18. Food Banks Canada’s CEO, Chris Hatch, said in many schools children have in-school food programs that they rely on to get meals and snacks if they don’t have enough food at home.

When the school year ends, these children no longer have access to these programs. Hatch says food banks tend to run low in the summer, and with an influx of children who are now relying on food banks to get food, he says these food banks need help.

In Mississauga, 20,000 food kits were packed. Off site, 49,000 more were put together. Hatch says in the organization’s first year, 700 kits were packed. Last year, 29,000 kits in total were donated. By next year, Hatch hopes 100,000 kits can be made.

The food kits include, apple sauce, hummus and crackers, oatmeal, a cereal bar, fresh milk and boxed cereal. Food banks will also receive $2 per food kit so fruits and vegetables can be purchased and included in each pack.

“I don’t think people realize how many children use and access food banks each month,” he said.

Hatch’s goal for After the Bell is to pack 1.4 million food kits for the summer, so that each impoverished child can have food during the summer. He says this will cost approximately $10 million in funding.

“Children need nutritious food to grow, stay healthy and thrive,” said Hatch.

To learn more about Food Banks Canada, visit www.foodbankscanada.ca/. To find a food bank near you, visit www.foodbankscanada.ca/utility-pages/find-a-food-bank.aspx.

Originally published in Durham’s Metroland newspapers/durhamregion.com on May 17, 2018.