Nearly $200,000 going to Food Banks across Ontario this holiday season
As food insecurity and food bank use continues to rise across the province, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals 175 & 633, on behalf of its 70,000 members, will once again donate nearly $200,000 to food banks and charitable organizations across the province this holiday season.
Earlier in December, UFCW Local 175 Recorder Karen Vaughan presented a cheque for $3,000 to Northumberland Fare Share. Members are also making donations to organizations in Belleville, Oshawa, Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, and more across Ontario.
“Our Executive Board members know that our Local Union is in a position to provide this support and I continue to be proud of their commitment to the communities across this province where our members live and work,” said Kelly Tosato, President of UFCW Local 175. “We also recognize that the vital work these food charities and community groups are doing is only a temporary fix that cannot correct the systemic root causes of food insecurity.”
“It is heartbreaking to see our policy makers and lobbyists with deep corporate pockets consistently value obscene profit at the expense of a growing number of people and families experiencing food insecurity,” said Tosato. “Real change must be implemented through government policies to make sure that not one person, not one family, in this province is left behind,” added Tosato.
“2024 continues to be a challenging year for food banks across Canada, and Northumberland County is no exception,” said Meghan Flindall, Executive Director at Northumberland Fare Share. “We saw unprecedented growth in the demand for our services in 2023 and we have not slowed down this year. In fact, we are outpacing our 2023 growth. We have already had over 900 new individuals who have never used food banks before access our services. We rely completely on donations and grants, which make contributions such as this one so valuable to our organization. Donated funds allow us to purchase vital items like protein, dairy, eggs and produce. Without community support we would not be able to continue providing nutritious foods to those in need. We are so thankful for Locals 175 & 633 and the donation they’ve made again this holiday season.”
Among the many services to their communities, the organizations supported with these donations provide: front-line food provision for families and individuals; hot meals for vulnerable community members; assisting with school nutrition programs, and; food distribution and support through other area agencies and charitable initiatives.
The Local Union will continue its donations to 60 organizations across Ontario through December.
UFCW Locals 175 & 633 represents more than 70,000 Union Members across Ontario working in most sectors of the economy including retail grocery and pharmacy, industrial, food processing and manufacturing, health care, hospitality, and much more.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
