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Food banks dealing with growing demand

The Regional Food Distribution Association has kicked off its annual Harvest for Hunger Food Drive Thursday.
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RFDA community services manager Brendan Carlin kicks off the annual Harvest for Hunger food drive Thursday morning.

THUNDER BAY -- Growing demand in this city has put extra strain on local food banks as they struggle to provide sustenance for those in need.

Due to an increased need in Thunder Bay, the Regional Food Distribution Association’s warehouse shelves are barely stocked, they are in need of essential foods to provide for the community.

RFDA community services manager Brendan Carlin said the Harvest for Hunger food drive comes at an important time as the need for food is quite high.

“Right now, it’s very crucial,” Carlin said. “In the summer people are away at camp, and they are on vacation, so generally our stocks get low especially with the items that we need the most.”

There are about 9,000 people a month in Thunder Bay who use food banks, and RDFA employees are finding that more people using food banks are using them more often.

“They used to use it to get through a few days,” Carlin said. “Now they use it to try and get through a week or two weeks, so the need is growing amongst that community.”

Carlin said the RFDA is trying to fill that need, and this food drive is a big part of that.

Approximately 200 volunteers will be handing out lists of food items needed Thursday through Sunday and asking for food donations to be purchased and dropped off as they exit the store.

Some of the items include peanut butter, canned meat, canned fruits and veggies, pasta, pasta sauce and perishable food items.

“This is massively important, nutrition and food effects everything in people’s lives,”

“I like to talk about kids who go to school, if they don’t have food they are not going to be able to concentrate properly, and they are not going to be able to learn.”

For four days volunteers will be situated at 14 locations across the city.

Carlin added that last year the raised roughly $72,000 worth of food and cash and he hopes to match that again this year.



Nicole Dixon

About the Author: Nicole Dixon

Born and raised in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Nicole moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario in 2008 to pursue a career in journalism. Nicole joined Tbnewswatch.com in 2015 as a multimedia producer, content developer and reporter.
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