MINDEMOYA—The volunteers, staff and board of Manitoulin Family Resources (MFR) are pleased to announce that the agency is entering the final stage of its capital campaign to raise money for a new Help Centre, which will house an expanded Treasures Thrift Shop and Food Bank.
The Help Centre, as part of the MFR umbrella organization, supports and promotes the agency’s collective mandate to enhance the quality of life of individuals and families in the Manitoulin, Espanola and North Shore region by providing resources, advocacy, support and education through the agency’s three program areas of Violence Against Women Prevention, Children Services and Emergency Food Assistance.
The Help Centre Food Bank has been providing emergency and seasonal food assistance to the residents of Manitoulin and the North Shore for 27 years and the need has never been higher. In the last three years there has been a 75 percent increase in the number of people seeking emergency food assistance. On average the Food Bank serves approximately 266 individuals a month, 125 of whom are children.
Fundraising for the much needed new facility has spanned nine long years. MFR credits the outstanding efforts and perseverance of volunteers, as well as other MFR supporters, for the $200,680 that has been raised to date. “The generous support of the public, small businesses, churches, and other organizations has been overwhelming” notes board president Sara Turner.
Architectural plans are being finalized and a volunteer project manager is donating time to spearhead the project alongside a building committee.
Having a new modern facility will aid in the delivery of the Help Centre’s vital community services and clients will be better served as a result of the improvements.
If you would like to contribute to the Help Centre Building Fund capital campaign or the operations (food) budget, monetary donations are greatly appreciated. Tax receipts are issued for financial donations over $10.
Treasures Thrift Shop is open six days a week and proceeds from the sale of gently used items donated by the public go towards the operation of the food bank.
As part of the final capital campaign MFR is releasing a video to help educate the public about the food bank. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZmytPT8qdE
For further information contact Nancy McDermid, MFR Help Centre Project Manager, at 705-377-5532 ext. 242 or Andrea Smith/Eleanor Charlton Executive Directors ext 224.
