As families across Niagara get ready for another school year, local food banks are seeing just how important community support can be.
The Hope Centre in Welland is preparing for Thursday’s Ontario Agra Piping & Supplied Inc. All Hands on Deck Food Drive, which comes at a crucial time for families facing the added costs of getting kids ready for school.
Jennifer Sinclair, Community Engagement and Development Manager with the Hope Centre, says the organization recently handed out more than 500 pairs of shoes through its back-to-school program - but there are still plenty of families who need a little extra help putting food on the table.
Sinclair says the Hope Centre serves a wide range of people, and needing help doesn't necessarily mean someone is unhoused. She says many families are simply facing a difficult month and having to make tough choices between paying for necessities and buying groceries.
The Hope Centre says its most-needed items right now include canned meat, canned soups and vegetables, along with crackers, cookies, peanut-free granola bars, cereal, Kraft Dinner and snacks for kids heading back to school.
The food drive will be taking place at several locations across Niagara on Thursday, including Zehr's locations across the region, Foodland in Smithville, and early donations can be dropped off at Lift Line Machinery in Welland.
(Written by: Matt Latour)