Instead of making the trek to the London Food Bank warehouse, Londoners in need of something to eat will soon be able to access food donations without leaving their neighbourhood.
The food bank has established a new city-wide food distribution network that will see food boxes available for pickup at London's four YMCA branches and five Neighbourhood Resource Centres.
"Anything you would normally get at the London Food Bank, you will get at these locations," said food bank Co-Executive Director Jane Roy.
The South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre will begin supplying food hampers on May 3. That will be followed by the city's four YMCA locations in June and by the end of summer the remaining neighbourhood resource centre will be offering the food boxes.
"The main advantages are two-fold," said Roy. "For the resource centres, you get your food along with other resources. They are experts at what is going on in the city and they have all sorts of programs that address the root sources of poverty. For the YMCAs the advantage is that they are open on Saturdays and late at some locations during the week. It really will help people who work 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and can't make it to the food bank warehouse."
The hampers will be delivered regularly to the neighbourhood distribution sites by the food bank mobile food truck. The YMCA already has the storage space and staffing levels to accommodate the remote food distribution program, while logistics are still being worked for the resource centres, said Roy.
The South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre has previously only had an emergency cupboard stocked with non-perishables to cover a family for a single meal.
"Before COVID our resource centre in south London supported 100 people in a month, during COVID we were supporting 1,000 people a month. At its peak it was 1,500 individuals a month," said Nancy Needham, the centre's executive director. "COVID has paralyzed more families than ever. It also has also brought out individuals who were struggling in silence at home."
With a centralized data system in place, people who rely on the food bank will be able to attend which ever location, be it one of the distribution centres or the food bank warehouse, is most convenient for them from month-to-month.
The partnership between the food bank, YMCA, and Neighbourhood Resource Centres was announced Thursday during the kickoff to the 34th annual Spring Food Drive. The drive, which will run until April 5, is being held virtually again this year due to the pandemic. Financial donations are being accepted online at londonfoodbank.ca. For anyone who would rather make a food donation, most grocery stores have collection bins setup. City fire stations are not collecting donations.
At least 60 per cent of all donations received during the food drive will be redistributed to other charitable agencies across London
Last year's spring food drive brought in the equivalent of 188,698 lbs of food.