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food security

Tag: food security

Cambridge Food Bank Couldn’t Serve 21,000 Hampers from a Trunk of a Car

More than 37 years ago, offering food to those who needed it began out of the trunk of a car. Tom and Janet McEwan started helping to provide food to those who needed it from their vehicle at Dickson arena. “I’m not sure just how we got into all this and somehow, we did” says Janet McEwan. “It just started out that way with us helping and we just kept doing it. We were struggling a little bit ourselves at the time and this helped us out.”

Once Tom and Janet began helping their community, they kept on going and didn’t look back.

“We were on several committees.  We’d start in the morning, and it would be late in the day before we’d get back home.”   Being a part of the community and being able to help those in need helped Tom and Janet through their personal struggles.  “It’s just something we did”

When shared with Janet just how many hampers are now served through the Cambridge Food Bank, she replies with “WOW and the problem is, it’s only going to get worse.  I don’t even want to think about how much that is going to increase.”

Janet’s only regret is that she’s at a stage in her life that she can’t physically continue to help the food bank but she continues to advocate on behalf of people facing food insecurity, please help us share her message.

  1. “Continue telling people about the food bank and encourage them to visit or call if they need help.”
  2. “Take people to the food bank if they need help.”
  3. “Remove the stigma that it is only for the homeless.  It is for anyone who needs it.”
  4. “Find ways to connect people with one another and with community. It’s important.”

Food Bank use in Ontario has increased by 42% since 2019, the need in Cambridge continues to grow and it takes an entire community to ensure that no one goes hungry.

Give 30

It’s springtime, and you know what that means. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and hunger and food insecurity are issues that are still being faced every single day in our community. While most people tend to donate or think about food banks in the colder months, the mission of our organization is year-round. That’s why this year we’re working with the Waterloo Food Bank to support Give 30.

What is Give 30?

Founded in 2012 in Mississauga, Give 30 is a community-based initiative built upon the ideas and tenets of the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan. During this 30 day period, Muslims are not to consume any food or drink (even water!) during daylight hours. This is designed to bring people closer to the Creator, and also to give perspective on the fundamental gifts food and drink are to us. Through this time of fasting, people are encouraged to be more compassionate to their fellow man who may not have food or drink not by choice, but by circumstance. 

So if Ramadan is about food, hunger, compassion, social solidarity and sharing, Give 30 embodies that spirit. This grassroots movement encourages people of ALL walks of life to think about those in our community who are struggling and lend a helping hand. That’s right, you don’t have to be Muslim in order to participate in Give 30.

So what can you do? 


1. Donate to Partner Organizations (Like the Cambridge Food Bank)
While you don’t have to fast to participate in Give 30, you can start by committing to give up one thing for 30 days, whether it be coffee, having lunch out, or something like that. Then, you donate the money that you would’ve spent on that one thing to the Give 30 campaign through a partner organization. Give 30 does not profit directly from this initiative, all of the money and donations are handled through partner food banks in your local community. 

2. Run a food drive in your office
Encourage co-workers and friends to donate canned goods, fresh foods and grocery gift cards in an effort to make a difference in your community for 30 days. Check out our recent blog about how to run a food drive for more information. 


3. Put aside part of your food budget
If you’re able to, put aside part of your food budget this month towards either a donation or food for your local food bank. Check out our tips for cutting down on your food budget for help thinking about ideas or recipes.

We hope that through this next month you’ll be able to contribute to the Give 30 campaign and make a difference in your community. For more information about the Give 30 organization check out their website at give30.ca. Give 30 runs from April 2 to May 2, 2022.

Belonging Through Food at the Cambridge Food Bank

Chai showing off a variety of foods used for programs.

Reposted from the Waterloo Food Bank Blog

Chaitali Maybhate “Chai”, our Health Promoter curates cooking programs that best meet the needs of program participants. More than an opportunity to prepare healthy meals, Chai’s workshops nourish the body and mind by creating a welcoming space for participants to connect through food.

As Chai shares, “I am glad to spread health literacy messages through my role as Health Promoter at the Cambridge Food Bank”.

Since March 22, 2019, Chai has been running multiple culinary programs for the Cambridge Food Bank including Lunch and Learn and Global Kitchen. Program participants learn about the local foods that enrich our lives, Canada’s Food Guide, and what services and supports are available to ensure everyone has access to the healthy foods they need.

Recently, the Cambridge Food Bank, in partnership with the Kinbridge Community Association, and the city of Cambridge, started the weekly ‘Nutrition and Wellness Workshops’ for senior newcomers aged 55 or older. For this series, Chai is hosting 8 consecutive workshops and there are supports available for community members to participate in these online sessions. The workshops are funded by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada and are supporting the members of our community who are often unfamiliar with the local food system and anxious about finding and affording healthy food.

Program participants are encouraged to pick up ingredients from Cambridge Food Bank’s Mobile Market where a selection of fresh and non-perishable food is available for a flat rate of $5.00. The Mobile Market also accepts donations and is open to anyone in the Cambridge and North Dumfries area who can benefit from getting access to fresh, healthy food.

As Chai explains, “I create icebreakers for newcomers from different backgrounds to share in the experience of cooking together, to enjoy dishes from different cultures, and to adapt recipes so we enjoy meals with less sugar, salt, and fat”.

Every week Chai introduces new recipes. Some participants listen and observe Chai’s actions, a few participants follow Chai’s movements and complete the recipes at home, and others light up when a dish they are familiar with is featured and they have the opportunity to share stories and see others enjoy comfort foods from around the world. Together, the class fosters a sense of belonging as newcomers get acquainted with each other and the foods that are available locally.

“Canada is like a salad bowl; everybody retains their own identity, and it is important to bring people together to ensure everyone can benefit from feeling a part of a community that helps people eat well and celebrates recipes from all over the world,” says Chai.

With every culinary program she leads Chai takes the time to nurture relationships with each participant.

In doing so, Chai is able to highlight creative substitutions like using aquafaba as an egg replacement in baking for individuals with an egg allergy. The Nutrition and Wellness Workshops for senior newcomers started on January 18th, 2022, and participants have begun to engage and get excited about the local food system including learning to read nutritional labels.

Through the culinary programs at the Cambridge Food Bank, individuals can build connections with vital service providers and develop new skills that support a person’s overall health and wellbeing. For more information about the programs that we offer, visit our programs page or contact us today.

How to Run a Food Drive

Food drives are a great way to make a difference in ending hunger and giving back to your community. Anyone can run a food drive, at any time of year, and no amount is too small. Thank you for your interest in running a food drive for the Cambridge Food Bank! Whether you are an individual, group, business, or organization, this guide will help you run a successful food drive. If you have any questions we are always here to help! 

Step One: Organize!

Consider putting a group together who can help and support you! Neighbourhoods, schools, offices, teams, civic groups, and communities of worship are just some of the many organizations we work with to run food drives. This is a great opportunity to involve your community! Choose the location and duration of your food drive. Food drives can last a few days to a few weeks, so make sure you set a start and end date, or if this is a one-day event, a start and end time. Make sure that you will be able to store your collected food somewhere until you can deliver it or arrange for a pick-up. To donate fresh food, please organize drop-off right away, or plan to make multiple deliveries to make sure that food arrives fresh.

Step Two: Get Creative!

Think about what kind of food drive you want to hold! Is it a friendly competition between departments at your business? Is it collecting one specific item from our most needed list? Successful food drives often have a theme that makes them unique. Potential themes include filling backpacks with canned goods or school supplies for back to school, holiday themed drives like Halloween, Christmas or Easter, or even donation matching from your CEO or executive team. Another great way to raise donations is to host an event and instead of charging admission, ask attendees to bring canned goods or donations in lieu of admission. 

Monetary donations are also welcome and can be raised by asking your “crowd” to sponsor you in different ways.  Maybe you’re a runner, and you plan to run ten miles for hunger. Ask your “crowd” to sponsor you by the mile, and feed thousands of people with just one run. Or if you are less athletic, get people to sponsor you for a thirty hour fasting challenge. Challenges are only limited by your imagination!

Step Three: Marketing!

Make sure you tell everyone you know about your food drive! Make flyers and hand them out.  Create posters and social media messages to share with your friends! Send emails to your friends, family and colleagues letting them know what’s going on. Share content from the food bank or tag the food bank in your posts and we’ll help you get the word out. Create a gofundme, or fundraiser on social media to get funds to donate to the food bank. 

Step Four: Make Your Donation!

Drop off your donation to us at 54 Ainslie St. South, Cambridge or call us to arrange for a pick-up of larger donations: 519-622-6550, x 202. Lastly, send us your pictures! We love to post about our donors and community supporters. If you are on social media, be sure to tag us and use our hashtag #FeedingCommunity!

592,308 adults and children accessed a food bank in Ontario between April 1st, 2020, to March 31st, 2021 – an increase of 10 percent over the last year and the largest single-year increase since 2009. In the first 3 months of the pandemic, the number of people who accessed a food bank for the first time in Ontario increased by 26%. With the rising costs of food and housing, these numbers are projected to increase throughout 2022. Having a Food Drive will not solve the problems of food insecurity in our communities, but it is a start. For more information about how to help out, donate and more please send us an email at info@cambridgefoodbank.org

How to Meal Plan on a Budget

Meal Planning takes time, energy, and resources, and if you’re working two jobs, raising kids, low on funds, or all three, it can seem impossible! Meal kits, take out and other options can be expensive and add up fast and, while boxed macaroni and cheese, canned soup, and other processed foods are easy to make, they don’t offer a whole lot in the way of nutritional value. With food costs projected to rise another 5-7% this year, everyone needs to figure out a solution to eat healthy while cutting costs. That’s why we’ve assembled quick and easy tips for building a meal plan for cheap, healthy, meals that the whole family will love. 

Find your favourites!

This is going to sound like a pretty obvious one, but the temptation with a meal plan is to go with recipes that you haven’t necessarily tried before. Unfortunately, if you don’t like the recipe, or it takes too long to make, or needs ingredients or spices that you’re never going to eat again- it’s not worth it. A meal plan that has tried and true favourites makes it easy to stick to, reduces food waste, and lessens the temptation to opt for fast food. 

Go Meatless

One of the things that takes the highest toll on any grocery budget is the protein. Meat and seafood can be pricey, so a solution to that is to lessen the amount of meat you’re eating and choose vegetable-based meals. You don’t have to become a vegetarian permanently, or eat things that you’re unfamiliar with, but with some prior planning and a few meatless mondays you can make your budget stretch.

Shop Sales

With the internet, finding sales is even easier than before. You can shop around and see which stores have the best deals on products from the comfort of your home and you can also search different products to compare prices from most grocery store websites. One tip: Just because something is on sale, doesn’t mean you have to buy it, make sure that it’s something you’re going to use, and that you’re not stocking up on things just because. Plus some stores offer price matching, so check what your local stores policy is before you go. 

Shop Seasonal

While you might think that nothing is in season in winter, this isn’t the case. Rutabagas, sweet potatoes, cabbage, carrots, leeks, beets, turnips and squash are all in season, and you could potentially get them for a good price at the grocery store! If you shop based on what’s in season, you can take advantage of the surplus driving the costs down, and save some cash. 

Freeze!

If you have access to a freezer, it can be your best friend. Pre-making and freezing meals can keep you going on days when you don’t have time or energy to make something different. Plus, if the option to purchase in bulk and freeze items is there, this can save you some money in the long run. 

Pantry Prep

Pantry staples are called staples for a reason. They’re the things that usually hold your whole meal plan together! Having pasta, grains, noodles, nuts and seeds, canned goods and other things are a great place to start planning your meal plan. If you have certain things in your pantry, look there first before making your meal plan. Chances are you might get some inspiration, or can look up recipes to use what you already have. 

Even with these budget saving tips, we understand that it’s difficult to put food on the table some days. Contact us at the Cambridge Food Bank for more information on our programs and services, including our mobile food market, community meal and more.