The Manna Food Bank in Bracebridge is entering the final stretch of its virtual food drive.
Neil Somerville, Director with the food bank, asks anyone wanting to help to go to the food bank’s website to make a pledge. He explains donations can be made online through Canada Helps, through an e-transfer, or by cheque.
“Every donation matters,” he says.
“We marvel at the numbers and how they fluctuate but they have dramatically increased in the last half year to a number we’ve never seen before,” says Somerville about the recent food bank usage.
He points out that recently more working families are showing up. He says they account for nearly 50 percent of the food bank’s clients in the last few months.. He says many tell them they’re having trouble making ends meet. Somerville explains that as prices for things like food and gas continue to rise, many aren’t able to keep up.
Somerville says providing the food bank with money instead of food donations allows them to purchase the goods they want when they need them. “The healthier option is the direction we’re trying to move our products,” he explains.
Along with the typical non-perishable goods, Somerville says the food bank is now stocked with milk, fresh vegetables, and frozen meats. “It’s a much better quality of food that we can provide to our clients,” he says. Somerville adds that providing fresh food is something they started during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“One of the things that COVID has taught us is how to use the internet much better,” he goes on to say. Along with allowing people to donate online, Somerville says orders can be placed online and picked up at the doors of the food bank. “It helps with wait times,” he says. However, Someville says they aren’t able to get to know many of their new clients now since some choose to not come inside and browse. “Now we have, kind of, an arm’s length relationship,” he says.
The Manna Food Bank is located at 345 Ecclestone Dr. in Bracebridge.