The Community Foundation Grey Bruce visited Meaford Tuesday to hand out $44,000 in cheques to food banks and other helping organizations across the two counties they serve. The cheque presentation took place at Meaford Hall.
Aly Boltman, the foundation's executive director, says the money came from CFGB's largest fund, the Eva Leflar Donor Advised Fund.
Cheques varied in amount, with the largest, $18,000 going to the United Way of Bruce-Grey.
OSHaRE in Owen Sound received $9,000 and another $4,000 went to the Owen Sound Salvation Army.
Our Kids Grey-Bruce received a cheque for $1,000 to help them buy almost 400 winter jackets for children. 20 full-time food banks also received cheques for $400 each.
Representatives from several of the food banks say the cheques are a welcome sight. With the increasing number of families needing food, they were finding themselves hard pressed to keep up.
Boltman says she wasn't surprised, since the number of people visiting food banks across the province has increased by at least 20 per cent over the last year.