Photo Credit Thomas Desormeaux
Charity Oakville Donate
There are many ways that Oakville Citizens can help out during COVID-19. There are many national, regional and Town organizations that are at a heightened need for donations and volunteers. Additionally, new initiatives are popping up everyday on social media.
A few organizations and programs are described in detail here but information on all can be found by clicking the links to their websites.
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Food Services
171 Speers Rd Unit 25 - (905) 338-6397
twitter account - https://twitter.com/FilmCaCinemas
Oakville's Film.ca cinemas is using its closed down facilities to run a publicly available food bank and item-exchange on its front porch. Film.ca is run by Ward 5's Town Councillor Jeff Knoll. Councillor Knoll says he and his family were inspired by the financial need many families are experiencing during the pandemic to do something creative to help out.
"We are here and able to give back to the community that has been so good to us," he says.
The food bank leaves buckets out in front of its Speers Road location for Oakville citizens to leave canned food, toys, books, DVDs and whatever else they have to give. The buckets operate on the honour system. Hopefully those who pick up will also leave something to donate, if they have the means.
The food bank has had a substantial effect on the community. On its best day they served around 110 people.
Knoll recommends that people who pick up items wipe them down and sanitize them.
The Cinema also appreciates any donations of PPE, which it then gives to a group of doctors, nurses and medical students for distribution.
Our 24/7 porch #foodbank is almost empty!!
We have urgent need for canned meats & fish, canned vegetables & fruits, soup, peanut butter, pasta sauce & cleaning supplies.
Thank you for supporting our community in it’s time of need!#inthistogether #community #staywell pic.twitter.com/MJpIjGJjdB
— Film.Ca Cinemas (@FilmCaCinemas) April 16, 2020
485 Kerr Street Oakville - (905) 845-7485
Kerr Street Mission (KSM) provides assistance and food to low income families and individuals in Oakville. Since the beginning of the pandemic, KSM has been providing pre-packaged meals that can be picked up or delivered. This is instead of their usual in-house meals that they provided five times a week.
Executive Director Gary O'Neill says that the KSM has seen renewed interest in their services since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns (2500 website hits in one month).
The Mission still allows volunteers to help out with its programs but is observing strict distancing and hygiene guidelines in how this is organized.
KSM appreciates donations of food and cash. Further, an anonymous Oakville family recently pledged to match any monthly donations to KSM up to a maximum of $75,000.
Thomas Desormeaux
donate Oakville charity COVID-19
Kerr Street Mission (KSM)
1240 Speers Road - (905) 847-3988
Fareshare is a volunteer run food bank in Oakville that serves 350-400 families a month. Fareshare is still open for deliveries and donations and is providing food on Mondays and Thursdays at specific times.
The inside of the food bank is no longer open to customers so those receiving food will need to wait in line outside and observe social distancing. The food bank assures that it is regularly sanitizing all its facilities.
2258 Mountainside Drive, Burlington - (905) 635-1106
Food for Life is continuing to operate during COVID-19. They appreciate food and cash donations from Oakville citizens and restaurants. For help with food, people can call the food banks number or call 311.
Food4Kids provides healthy meals to school aged children in Halton region. They accept donations, volunteers and corporate sponsorships.
FoodRescue takes surplus food from providers all over Canada and distributes it to non-profits. They dealt with over ten million pounds of food in 2018. FoodRescue is continuing to provide their services during the pandemic. That being said, their funds are being stretched due to increased demand from the community.
They still encourage donations and non-profit applications.
2200 Sawgrass Drive - (905) 257-6029
This is a volunteer-based food bank that accepts cash donations as well as money. More information can be found on their website.
Places that need volunteers
The Employment Insurance program is currently matching and tripling all donations to the Red Cross.
Kids Help Phone offers 24/7 counselling for troubled Canadian children in both English and French. They accept monetary donations and are volunteer-led.
This site helps connect volunteers with opportunities based on region. They are still running during the pandemic and are following COVID-19 guidelines.
A service through which people in Oakville can volunteer to help out those affected by COVID-19 or who are self-isolating. Interested parties can register on their website but must remember to always observe rules of hygiene and social distancing.
National COVID-19 Volunteer Recruitment Campaign
An opportunity to volunteer for the Federal government. It involves helping to track the COVID-19 infection and organizing the health care system's response. Applicants must complete an eligibility survey before beginning work. Many of the jobs can be done from home.
Organizations needing Donations
Halton Healthcare Community Support
- email: [email protected]
Halton Healthcare has a group of foundations for which it accepts donations. They mostly need PPE and cash donations. Donations can be dropped off at the public entrances of Oakville hospitals Monday-Friday at designated times.
Medical services in Oakville and Halton are in desperate need of PPE donations. This website can redirect interested people to organizations that need help.
The Willow Foundation offers help to the elderly community in Oakville. They recently ran a program to provide iPads and other technology to that demographic of people.
(905) 849-4541
The Distress Centre offers support to people in Halton going through emotional crises.
United Way accepts donations and also distributes funds to some of their approved organizations.
The Oakville Community Foundation offers support and also contains its own list of charitable organizations in Oakville. This list can be seen by clicking the link above.
Home Suite Hope (HSH) is a wrap-around service for homeless single parent families. They provide rental subsidies, childcare, transportation, education and many other things to families of need who are referred to them through the regions shelter system. HSH is experiencing difficulties providing their usual services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of their clients are having trouble getting adequate supplies while the public is buying groceries in such volume. Pursuing education while taking care of children is also more difficult while public transit is less reliably safe and schools are cancelled.
"Homelessness isn't just the result of poverty," says Dr. Sara Cumming, HSH's Executive Director. "It's the result of a combination of things. Their lives have been instantaneously affected."
HSH is accepting donations of grocery gift cards and has a cash donation page set up on canadahelps.org.
(905) 842-1411
Meals on Wheels provides nutritional meals and emotional support to the elderly community in Oakville.
Note to Reader
This article includes in-depth details on only a selected few programs and organizations available in Oakville. For more information, click on the links to the website for each.
You can consult more lists at CanadaHelps.org Oakville and on the Halton Community Services Directory.
If you have questions about services provided by the city or looking for donation recommendations you can contact ServiceOakville or the office of the Oakville Mayor at [email protected]
