Events 2013
Pitching in for those in a pinch
19 January 2013
A group of volunteers from the U.S. Consulate General Toronto at the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto. Staff and their family volunteered as part of President Obama’s January 19th National Day of Service.
On a recent Saturday in January, a group of consulate staff and some of their family members volunteered at the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto. They were taking part in President Obama’s January 19th National Day of Service by giving back to the community they live in.
The Daily Bread Food Bank is a non-profit, charitable organization fighting to end hunger in the communities of Toronto. The large facility the consulate group volunteered at is located in Etobicoke – a community in the western part of the city – and the food bank supplies all the Greater Toronto Area’s 170 food assistance locations. More than 15,000 people are assisted daily in this program.
Some sobering statistics include 28 per cent of people receiving food assistance have graduated from university; 26 per cent are between 45-64 years old; 45 per cent are disabled; 73 per cent are Canadian citizens; 51 per cent are born outside of Canada; and 32 per cent are children. Since 2008, there has been an 18 per cent increase in need.
The team from the consulate prepared food packages that will feed 157 people for three days. That comes to a total of 2,354 pounds of food. Click here http://www.dailybread.ca/ to learn more about the Daily Bread.