MANITOULIN–Manitoulin Family Resources (MFR) Help Centre is proud to once again be participating in the Give It Up for Hunger campaign that marks Hunger Awareness Week, May 6-10.
Hunger Awareness Week was created to provide food banks with an opportunity to educate Canadians about the reality of hunger and to encourage those who can to make a choice to help others in need.
In Canada close to 900,000 individuals turn to food banks for support each month and about 38 percent of these people are children. Close to 2 million Canadians are “food insecure” and struggle with not knowing where their next meal may come from. Today more than 900 food banks and 2,900 affiliated agencies work in communities across the country to assist Canadians in need.
Here on Manitoulin Island the rise in need for emergency food assistance is clearly demonstrated by an increase of approximately 75 percent over the last three years in people seeking support from the food bank. More than 277 individuals were assisted this past month, 121 of which were children.
Hunger in Canada is often a hidden issue but the MFR Help Centre food bank is working to raise awareness by joining Food Banks Canada in encouraging all Canadians who are able to Give It Up for Hunger during Hunger Awareness Week 2013.
What does giving it up really mean? It’s as easy as two simple steps:
Give It Up – Close to 900,000 Canadians have relied on food banks this past month. Know what it’s like to have food out of reach by challenging yourself to give up your lunches or a food staple for the week.
Give It Out – Donate food or funds to your local food bank.
Food donations can be made year-round at the following grocers: Dean’s Valu-mart in Gore Bay and Island Foodland in Mindemoya. Nancy McDermid, MFR Help Centre project manager, notes that pasta, pasta sauce, peanut butter, canned vegetables, canned beans, soup, salmon an d tuna are items most needed on an ongoing basis.
Cash donations are also greatly appreciated as they allow the food bank to purchase perishable items such as fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen meat, eggs and bread.
For more information on Hunger Awareness Week please visit www.hungerawarenessweek.ca or contact Nancy McDermid, MFR Help Centre Project Manager, at 705-377-5532 ext. 242 or nmcdermid@mfresources.net.
