Media Advisory - CAW Gives Parkdale Food Bank a Lift

TORONTO, March 24 /CNW/ - The Parkdale Community Food Bank will be joining with the CAW to celebrate the donation of $25,000 toward a new van on March 29 at 9:30 A.M. The Chevrolet Express cargo van, which went into use a short time ago, allows the food bank to better meet the growing demand for resources by increasing outreach to the community for food supplies.

The donation comes from the union's Social Justice Fund.

"At a time when the CAW knew it would be facing its own challenges, the donation was a generous recognition of the growing issue of unemployment and poverty in Canada as a whole," said Parkdale Community Food Bank Executive Director Robert Thorpe.

A recognition ceremony will be held at the Parkdale Community Food Bank at 1316 King Street West at 9:30 AM. Peggy Nash, a long time community activist and Assistant to CAW National President Ken Lewenza, will represent the union.

"In a country as wealthy as Canada, no one should go without enough to eat," said Nash. "CAW members help communities across Canada but keep urging governments to improve Employment Insurance and social assistance benefits as well."

Thorpe said that in the past year, there have been startling changes in the make up of food bank users. Before the economic meltdown of 2009, the majority of food bank users were people with disabilities and serious obstacles to employment. Since then, food banks are seeing more and more people who previously had secure employment in the trades, manufacturing, information technology and other once strong industries.

"In many cases, people are reporting that finding alternative employment with similar wages and benefits is simply not possible. For many, this means going from a middle class lifestyle to minimum wage poverty," said Thorpe.

For further information: please contact Robert Thorpe, Executive Director of the Parkdale Community Food Bank at [phone] or [email protected]