31 Days of the Holidays Virtual Food Drive Fundraiser
Team Captain: Golden Food Bank
Supporting: Golden Food Bank
To our dear Golden community,
2023 has been a tough year. For many, that may be an understatement.
All of us have been impacted by sky-rocketing costs of living and food, especially those who were already struggling to make ends meet. According to the annual Hunger Count report created by Food Banks Canada, there were nearly 2 million visits to food banks in Canada in March 2023. Food bank use here in Golden and Area has gone up along with the rest of the country, with 17.25% more visits this year.
In times like these, I am in awe of the extraordinary work that countless supporters have put into helping us tackle food insecurity in our community. Together we are making a difference. Over 2000 hampers filled with fresh produce, meat, dairy, dry goods, toiletries, diapers and formua have been distributed to families in Golden and Area A this year - food that would not have been on the table otherwise.
For people often working multiple jobs, single parenting, or facing challenging life events, 1,040 pre-portioned 'Recipe of the Week' meal-kits were prepared in their home kitchens, building food literacy and cooking skills using nutritious and affordable ingredients - and with much needed convenience and accessibility.
The expensive cost of living has become the primary reason community members seek the support of our services. This past year we have registered 177 new people who had never previously accessed our crisis food distribution program before. 610 residents have accessed the program at least once this year - a number equivalent to 15.3% of the town population.
It's hard to keep up, but there is hope. The Golden Food Bank is here to connect people with food, and your support even more critical now.
Creating a Virtual Food Drive allows you to rally with colleagues, friends and family in meaninful collective action to put food into the hands of people in need immediately. Contibute to our main Virtual Food Drive page, or create a Team to raise funds with your co-workers at the office, holiday party, your club, team, as a family project or with a group of friends that is as passionate as you are about food security and ensuring that our neighbours have enough food for their families.
Neighbours helping neighbours is at the heart of what we do, and our staff are available to help you in every step of your fundraising efforts.
Thank you in advance for supporting our "31 Days of the Holidays" Virtual Food Drive Fundraising Campaign for the Golden Food Bank and helping ensure everyone in our community has access to fresh and healthy food. Online donations are also tax-deductible. Please check your email inbox or spam folder for an automated tax receipt once your donation is successfully processed.
In gratitude and wishing you a bright holiday season,
Julia Newbury, Executive Director