Healthy Living
Volunteers step up to feed their communities
14 April 2021 - by YMCA of Greater Toronto
The COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 challenged the global community in many ways. It hit the Greater Toronto Area hard socially and economically and the demand for basic necessities such as food skyrocketed. The YMCA of Greater Toronto stepped up to the plate by tackling food insecurity, in partnership with: Daily Bread Food Bank, Second Harvest and the North York Harvest.
Resulting from the needs of the North York and Scarborough communities, pop-up food bank locations opened at Scarborough YMCA, Scarborough Tapscott YMCA and North York YMCA. Meanwhile, Cedar Glen YMCA Outdoor Education Centre partnered with the Food Bank of York Region (FBYR) to help with food storage, sorting and repacking for overflowing food donations.
Another great partnership happened in November 2020 when the Ontario SPCA in Stouffville and the YMCA worked together to support low-income families, helping them care for their furry family members. One of the Ontario SPCA’s goals during COVID-19 is to help people experiencing poverty keep their animals in their homes rather than having to give up their pets for adoption. They have secured donations of dog and cat food and partnered with the Y’s food banks and Vanauley Street YMCA to distribute pet food to pet owners.
The summer of 2020 brought forward a new challenge to our food banks. The need for food was at a steady increase while Y programs were reopening to the public. We needed to balance food donation service standards while running our centres and programs with limited staff.
In August 2020, we invited volunteers to work with us in serving the community and they did not disappoint. In fact, Daniel a staff lead at the food bank described the volunteer role as more than just packing, sorting, processing appointment lists and serving clients. “During the pandemic you see volunteers step up and make a difference with clients we serve at the food bank,” says Daniel. “Their smiling faces, energy, enthusiasm and the relationships they built with clients all have an impact. They pretty much ran the food bank from start to finish with minimal support!”
In 2020, we had 26 staff and 66 volunteers involved in direct operation of the services. Volunteers alone have contributed a remarkable 1,396 hours of service at the food bank. The pop-up food bank was such a success that by the fall of 2020, they became permanent service centres! Last year we served 4,487 households and 13,370 individuals in Scarborough and North York.
Since last summer, I have had the privilege of coordinating and interacting with food bank volunteers. In a short time, we had a steady increase in volunteer interest, receiving more applicants than available roles and having to redirect applicants to other volunteer centres. “I like to give back to the community,” says Mumtaz, who volunteers regularly at the food bank. “Volunteering helps me appreciate all the good things I have in life and makes me feel humble.”
It is heartwarming to see that even in the midst of a pandemic, volunteers choose to shine a light and act as a beacon of hope to those in need. I firmly believe that through struggle there’s also opportunity to show strength. And this pandemic shows just how strong and resilient we are as a community. There is no shortage of people who want to help during a crisis and I feel blessed and proud to be supporting the community alongside them. Thank you, food bank volunteers!
-By Aloha Cruz
Resulting from the needs of the North York and Scarborough communities, pop-up food bank locations opened at Scarborough YMCA, Scarborough Tapscott YMCA and North York YMCA. Meanwhile, Cedar Glen YMCA Outdoor Education Centre partnered with the Food Bank of York Region (FBYR) to help with food storage, sorting and repacking for overflowing food donations.
Another great partnership happened in November 2020 when the Ontario SPCA in Stouffville and the YMCA worked together to support low-income families, helping them care for their furry family members. One of the Ontario SPCA’s goals during COVID-19 is to help people experiencing poverty keep their animals in their homes rather than having to give up their pets for adoption. They have secured donations of dog and cat food and partnered with the Y’s food banks and Vanauley Street YMCA to distribute pet food to pet owners.
The summer of 2020 brought forward a new challenge to our food banks. The need for food was at a steady increase while Y programs were reopening to the public. We needed to balance food donation service standards while running our centres and programs with limited staff.
In August 2020, we invited volunteers to work with us in serving the community and they did not disappoint. In fact, Daniel a staff lead at the food bank described the volunteer role as more than just packing, sorting, processing appointment lists and serving clients. “During the pandemic you see volunteers step up and make a difference with clients we serve at the food bank,” says Daniel. “Their smiling faces, energy, enthusiasm and the relationships they built with clients all have an impact. They pretty much ran the food bank from start to finish with minimal support!”
In 2020, we had 26 staff and 66 volunteers involved in direct operation of the services. Volunteers alone have contributed a remarkable 1,396 hours of service at the food bank. The pop-up food bank was such a success that by the fall of 2020, they became permanent service centres! Last year we served 4,487 households and 13,370 individuals in Scarborough and North York.
Since last summer, I have had the privilege of coordinating and interacting with food bank volunteers. In a short time, we had a steady increase in volunteer interest, receiving more applicants than available roles and having to redirect applicants to other volunteer centres. “I like to give back to the community,” says Mumtaz, who volunteers regularly at the food bank. “Volunteering helps me appreciate all the good things I have in life and makes me feel humble.”
It is heartwarming to see that even in the midst of a pandemic, volunteers choose to shine a light and act as a beacon of hope to those in need. I firmly believe that through struggle there’s also opportunity to show strength. And this pandemic shows just how strong and resilient we are as a community. There is no shortage of people who want to help during a crisis and I feel blessed and proud to be supporting the community alongside them. Thank you, food bank volunteers!
-By Aloha Cruz
