In Toronto according to the Dailybread.ca they gave the following stats in 2023. In 2022 it was 1 in 20 families that were suffering from Food insecurity in 2023 it went to 1 in 10 to their stats it was a 154% increase.
Immanuel’s Community Services Ministry is following the Vision of Adventist Community Services. We emulate “Dorcas” in bible days. We have been deeply invested in serving the community. In 2017, the then Community Services Leader Sis. Mauvalin DaCosta-Finley and her team saw the need for starting a Pantry. This pantry provided food to approximately 18 families.
March 2018 was a memorable year for us at Immanuel. This was when the Immanuel Food Bank opened it’s doors providing food boxes every other Wednesday to members and individuals in the community.
By 2021 we were preparing approximately 40 boxes of food for the community. This increased in December 2022, and we were preparing boxes for 88 families. It seems that we became an “Each One Tell One” Food Bank as every other Wednesday – distribution day, there were always new faces appearing at our doors. We also would receive emails to the churches email or telephone messages would be left requesting food and support.
Last Wednesday February 21, 2024, we distributed approximately 137 boxes to families which is an increase of approximately 242.5% and the numbers are increasing. We had approximately 8 new families. It is very difficult to turn away individuals when come to our doors and therefore even if all the boxes have been distributed, we would still try to find something to give so that the individual does not go home empty.
Our distribution time is from 12:30 pm to 4 pm. Individuals start lining up from 11 am, in the freezing cold or in the hot sun. Most of these individuals are seniors.
You may be wondering how and where the food and funds comes from. Well God has been blessing us tremendously.
· We have families who always give food and/or money to the Community Services Ministry.
· We have a contract with Second Harvest which is Canada’s largest food rescue charitable organization. They deliver to us every other Wednesday morning which coincides with our delivery Wednesday.
· We are never sure of what we will be receiving from Second Harvest and therefore we always purchase items such as: Lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, zucchini, eggs, milk, bread, cereal, to supplement the boxes.
· It is our aim that with each food box distributed the recipients will be able to prepare a balanced meal and nutritious meal for themselves and their families.
All this work in offloading the truck and preparing the boxes is done by our faithful and dedicated volunteers who are mostly seniors. Our distribution is every other Wednesday, but preparation starts as soon as the Wednesday distribution ends. There is constant shopping to be done and the Tuesday before distribution Wednesday, volunteer are at the church transforming the basement into a distribution centre.
