Agri-food industry encouraged to contribute to local food banks
By Denise Faguy, Farms.com
Employees from the Farms.com Guelph office were pleased to donate approximately 105 pounds of food to the Guelph Food bank. “We may not have hundreds of people working in our Guelph office, but everyone wanted to do their part,” says President and CEO Graham Dyer. “And every little bit helps.”
“As Farms.com is closely related to the farming and food processing sectors, the Guelph office thought it might be nice to support the Food Bank as a team during the holiday season,” says Dyer. The employees were eager to contribute to the food drive.
The donation was thankfully received by the Food Bank in Guelph. The Guelph Food Bank has asked for the community’s help with donations of non-perishable food items; 90,000 pounds is needed to get the food bank through the busy Christmas season. The Guelph food bank distributes 6,000 to 15,000 lbs of food every morning to help those in need.
In Ontario, for example, Food Banks are supported by a number of agriculture industries, such as the Milk Marketing Board, the Egg Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Pork Producers, and Syngenta. Dyer challenges other agri-food organizations and those working in the agriculture industry to support their local food banks across North America.
In the United States, Feeding America estimates that 1 in 6 people in the United States, is not getting enough to eat. Feeding America advises that it is best to coordinate and work with your local food bank when organizing a food drive. To find a local food bank in the United States, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-in-your-community/.
See related story: http://www.farms.com/ag-industry-news/guelph-food-bank-leads-the-way-for-fresh-produce-512.aspx
Guelph Food Bank Website: http://guelphfoodbank.ca/