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EXECUTIVE MESSAGE

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Letter from Kim

To you, our valued supporter,

You’re making such a difference to people living right here, in your community. 

As the cost of living continues to increase rapidly, more and more individuals, families, and seniors in Waterloo region are struggling to survive. The number of people seeking food assistance for the first time in our region jumped a massive 191% in the first quarter of this year compared to last year. 

That’s a whole lot more people who are depending on our help. And that’s why I’m so very grateful for you and your support of The Food Bank of Waterloo Region! 

Your amazing support of The Food Bank provides fresh, nutritious food to people who simply can’t afford it right now.  

As you’ll read in this issue of your newsletter, you’re helping us to increase our capacity and ensure as much fresh food as possible is given to the people who need it most. You continue to support our agency partners and meet the increasing need for food assistance across our region. 

Thank you so much for staying by our side and helping to meet the need.  

We absolutely couldn’t do it without you!  

With my sincere thanks, 

Kim Wilhelm 

Interim CEO

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region

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Fresh Approaches Food Centre 

Increasing our capacity to feed more people!

Your incredible generosity is hard at work in our Fresh Approaches Food Centre, where thousands of pounds of food are processed and repackaged each year for people in need. 

In 2018, with support from Food Banks Canada (and amazing supporters like you!), we built the Fresh Approaches Food Centre, our onsite food processing facility. In this space, volunteers and staff safely repackage and freeze large fresh food donations that come from farmers, retailers, distributors, and manufacturers. This process maximizes produce donations, extends their life span, and increases the amount of fresh, healthy food available for the more than 40,500 people in Waterloo region struggling to afford to put food on the table. 

Since its installation, you’ve helped us process over 400,000 pounds of food, including bananas, berries, peppers and so much more! 

Chelsey Frey, our registered dietician says. “The Fresh Approaches Food Centre has allowed us to increase the variety, quality, and quantity of the food we send out to the community. At The Food Bank we accept larger donations of fresh produce. What doesn’t get sent out immediately is diverted to the Fresh Approaches Food Centre where we can chop, slice, dice, vacuum-seal and freeze fresh, nutritious foods, especially for wintertime.” 

We’re so grateful for you! You’re doing everything possible to ensure that hungry people in your community have access to fresh, nutritious foods.

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Meeting the Need

Thank you for giving people access to food when they need it most. 

You’ve heard the message loud and clear. The need for food assistance in our region has increased dramatically. And it shows no sign of slowing down.  

Thank you to everyone who has responded to our call for help.  

1 in 14 households in Waterloo region are struggling to afford to put food on the table. That number is up from 1 in 20 households. Last year, the Community Food Assistance Network supported 40,530 individuals in need. In the first quarter of 2023, we had already seen more than 30,000 unique individuals! 

Thankfully, with the continued support of neighbours like you, we’ve been able to keep on meeting the need for fresh, nutritious food. 

We want you to know that there really is no ‘typical’ food assistance participant. There are so many reasons a person may access emergency food assistance, such as sudden job loss, low income, the rising cost of food, and/or lack of affordable housing. Food insecurity is a complex problem, and the solutions are complicated. 

With your incredible generosity, the Community Food Assistance Network can provide access and connection to food and other essential services and resources that help people move forward with their lives. THANK YOU! 

For more information you can visit: thefoodbank.ca/network/hunger/

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You’re providing lifesaving snacks through Sanguen’s Community Health Van

Imagine if the doctor’s office was also the place where you could meet with friends and share snacks and stories with each other. That’s exactly what happens each time the Mobile Community Health Van is deployed by Sanguen Health Centre. 

The Sanguen Health Centre receives food donations from The Food Bank of Waterloo Region thanks to your kind support! With a focus on offering dignified care to people at increased risk for Hepatitis C, Sanguen Health Centre brings food, medical services, and peer workers to people who experience high degrees of marginalization due to their substance use or homelessness. These community members often don’t feel comfortable accessing mainstream services. 

Your generous gifts provide about 900 nourishing snacks a month through this program. When distributing food, there’s an opportunity to build rapport with some of the most vulnerable members of our community. 

“Snacks are a way that we can start to develop relationships with people,” says Simone Morrison, Sanguen Health Centre. “People are often hungry, and it’s a quick transaction that allows people to meet us and see the types of services we have… It can be hard to build trust with the people that we serve, and snacks help us start that process because who doesn’t love a snack?” 

Thank you for supporting the health and wellbeing of every member of our community by increasing access to care through healthy food!