Tuesday August 25, 2020
When the pandemic hit, Kawartha Food Share faced increased client numbers, cancelled food drives, and decreased food donations. A grant from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund helped purchase more food so the agency could continue to deliver non-perishable food items to partner agencies and foodbanks throughout Peterborough City & County and supply emergency food hampers.
“It has been a challenging couple of months; however we are getting used to our ‘new normal’ and doing all that we can to ensure everyone in our community has safe access to emergency food,” said Ashlee Aitken, General Manager at Kawartha Food Share. “A large portion of the funds we received went towards our ‘Feeding Youth and Families Together’ program that was started with three of our member agencies. Kawartha Food Share has been able to purchase fruit and vegetables weekly to hand out to the families attending.”
This is a good news story, but more needs to be done.
“We are preparing for a second wave and ensuring food banks and the Kawartha Food Share warehouse are well stocked so, unlike in March, the shelves will hopefully not be depleted,” said Ashley. “We know too that our client numbers will rise significantly when the Canada Emergency Response benefit (CERB) ends and we are helping our member agencies prepare for that now.”
The COVID-19 Community Response Fund supports ongoing recovery needs as charities and vulnerable residents continue to adapt and recover from the effects of the pandemic.
Please give generously – we are stronger together.
#vitalptbo