Daily Bread launches Holiday Drive to stock shelves this winter

TORONTO, Nov. 27, 2014 /CNW/ - For many people coming to a food bank for the first time, it's because of an unexpected crisis – a disability, sudden illness or a job loss. It's a single mom who can't make ends meet. It's your neighbours who are working multiple part-time jobs but still can't get enough hours to make ends meet. It's parents who are struggling to pay the rent and put food on the table; waiting years on Ontario's affordable housing list along with over 165,000 other households.

Daily Bread's Holiday Drive starts today, with goals of $2.5 million and a million pounds of food.

The money and food that is raised during the Holiday Drive helps Daily Bread provide food for over 200 programs and thousands of people who are struggling with hunger in Toronto over the winter months.

From food banks and community food centres to women's shelters, drop-in programs or hostels, many of our member agencies are doing far more than providing food. Most are multi-service agencies that run innovative programs supporting and empowering people on low incomes all while advocating for long-term solutions to poverty. But people can't wait for those solutions on an empty stomach, which is why in addition to working towards solutions, Daily Bread also collects and distributes millions of pounds of food for over 58,000 food hampers every month.

Most needed food items include: pasta, dried/canned beans or lentils, rice, canned fruit and vegetables, pasta and pasta sauce, peanut butter, canned fish/meat, oatmeal, baby formula/cereal and food as well as high fibre/low sugar cereal. Food donations can be dropped off at any local fire hall or participating grocery store.

Financial donations can be made easily and securely online at www.dailybread.ca or by mailing a cheque to Daily Bread Food Bank, 191 New Toronto St., Toronto, Ontario, M8V2E7. Every dollar donated means Daily Bread can provide $5 worth of food.

About Daily Bread Food Bank

Daily Bread Food Bank is a registered charity that is fighting hunger in our communities. A distribution hub, Daily Bread provides food and support to almost 200 food programs across Toronto. Daily Bread also works towards long-term solutions to hunger and runs innovative programs to support people on low incomes including a community garden, food services training program and an information and referral services program that trains member agencies to support food bank clients by connecting them to community resources.

SOURCE: Daily Bread Food Bank

Sarah Anderson, Senior Manager, Communications, E: [email protected], M: 416-450-2196