Six Major GTA Food Banks Join Forces to Raise $1 Million & Collect 1 Million Pounds of Food by April 30

TORONTO, March 19, 2019 /CNW/ - The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario joined six major GTA Food Banks to launch their collaborative 2019 Spring Food Drive.

Six major GTA Food Banks: Daily Bread Food Bank, Feed the Need in Durham, The Food Bank of York Region, Knights Table, North York Harvest Food Bank, and The Mississauga Food Bank are joining forces to raise $1 million and collect 1 million pounds of food to help neighbours in need.

In this unprecedented collaboration, the food banks also hope to raise awareness about food insecurity and the increasing number of people in the GTA who are struggling to afford nutritious food.

Approximately 5.6 million people (15% of Canada's population) live in the areas served by these six regional food banks. And nearly 1 million people (17%) in these areas live in poverty.

"We know that food insecurity is a regional problem," said Ryan Noble, Executive Director of the North York Harvest Food Bank. "More and more, the problem is migrating out of the downtown core and into the inner suburbs of Toronto and beyond, into the GTA. All the Food Banks in the GTA are working together to address this issue and this drive is a perfect example of our collaboration."

The spring drive is always a very important effort as it provides nutritious food to those who need it through the summer, traditionally a slow period for food bank donations.

"We're counting on community members across the GTA to help feed our neighbours by donating food and funds to the Spring Drive." said Meghan Nicholls, Executive Director of The Mississauga Food Bank, "These donations will help purchase and distribute healthy food to the neighbours in our cities who need it most this Spring."    

The campaign will run from March 19 to April 30. To learn more and to make a donation to your local food bank, please visit www.gtafoodbanks.ca 

SOURCE North York Harvest Food Bank

Media Contact: Henry Chiu | T: 416.523.9998 |E: [email protected]