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Kerr Street Mission
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to run its course on the wings of the Omicron variant, demand for Oakville food banks is on the rise. In 2020, Oakville News reported a spike in food bank demand across Oakville, and numbers have grown even more in this last year.
Kerr Street Mission
Dan Nguyen, food services manager at Kerr Street Mission, has watched the number of clients nearly double between 2019 and 2021. Kerr Street Mission served about 400 people every week in 2019, and in 2021, they served roughly 750 people per week. Nguyen says the highest volume of clients came in December 2021, when 815 clients visited Kerr Street Mission in just one week.
“We were expecting things to peter out, but the numbers continue to grow, even now as we’re entering 2022 with this new wave,” Nguyen says.
Kerr Street Mission has a market set-up that lets registered members select their food. Most of these food donations are made by community organizations, businesses, families, and individuals. In addition to regular food donations, like canned goods, Kerr Street Mission offers a Choose Fresh Program that guarantees a weekly bundle of fresh food for registered clients.
“It’s not just providing people with food on a weekly basis, but also providing them with nutritious food based on their diet and health needs,” Nguyen says.
Mumin Mian
Kerr Street Mission
The exterior of Kerr Street Mission
On average, Kerr Street Mission has about 100 monthly volunteers, but with new capacity limits due to this new wave, Nguyen says they’ve been forced to cut down on volunteers, all while the volume of clients continues to rise.
Still, according to Nguyen, one bright spot in this two-year pandemic has been the generosity of Oakville residents. This past December, the Oakville Rangers Hockey Club donated 100,000 pounds of food to Kerr Street Mission, a collaborative effort from more than 100 teams. Nguyen says it was the largest one-time donation Kerr Street Mission has ever received.
“People have been a lot more aware that there are more folks who are in need now,” Nguyen says. “We’re so grateful for the community’s support. Almost half of donations and funding come from individuals and families. I hope it’s a reminder that we can make a difference together.”
Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre
Executive director of Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre, Michelle Knoll, says their food banks have also seen a 30% increase during the pandemic. The centre runs a daily food bank at their North Service Road location and a weekly food bank at their Sawgrass Drive location.
Knoll predicts the extension of this pandemic and its repercussions on the employment sector will continue to impact the number of people who are struggling financially.
Oakville Fare Share Food Bank
Like these two organizations, Oakville Fare Share Food Bank has seen a spike in demand. Run entirely by volunteers since 1987, the non-profit food bank serves 700 households across Oakville, which is equal to about 2,500 individuals, many of whom are children.
In 2020, Oakville Fare Share Food Bank saw a 14% increase in families relying on food donations, and 2021 brought on another 12% increase.
“We’re up 26% in families we serve since 2019,” says Jennifer Russel, president of Oakville Fare Share. “When CERB ended, they no longer had money to buy groceries, so they came to us. As more places go under because of COVID, we’re going to get more people out of work. I’m estimating another 10% increase in 2022.”
According to Russel, Oakville Fare Share received an overwhelming amount of donations this past November and December. Fortunately, they’ve never had to turn people away. While the demand continues to rise, its surge runs parallel with the community’s generosity and support.
“A big heartfelt thank you to the Oakville community for all that they’ve done for us,” Russel says. “Without them, we wouldn’t exist.”
More information on these food banks and how you can support them:
Kerr Street Mission
Hours of operation:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm.
Tuesday & Thursday: 6:30pm - 8pm
Thursday: 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Saturday: 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Go to Kerr Street Mission to make a financial donation. Or, if you want to donate food directly or organize a food drive, contact them first to discuss clients’ greatest needs: (905) 845-7485.
Oakville Fare Share
Hours of operation:
Monday: 9:30 am - 2:00 pm
Thursday: 2:00 pm - 6:45pm
They are open for deliveries and donations only at various times during the work week. You can call ahead of time to ensure someone is there to receive your deliveries and donations: 905-847-3988.
Oak Park Neighbourhood Care Centre
Visit Oak Park Neighbourhood Care Centre for more information on food donations, programs, and how you can support them.
