Good Shepherd needs help restocking shelves ahead of holidays

As volunteers prepare to host hundreds of Hamilton residents at the 57th Good Shepherd Thanksgiving dinner next week, the city's most widely-used emergency food program is in need of donations.

The turkey and fixings have already been secured for the holiday feast, but the food bank requires more donations to meet its everyday needs, according to community and government relations director Alan Whittle.

"Finding food is something we do 365 days a year," said Whittle, who adds it is easier to collect food around the big holidays Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter with Thanksgiving being the first opportunity to restock shelves after a long summer.

This year, Whittle says the food bank is in need of frozen and canned protein.

"Historically, we put emphasis on non-perishable staples. But those are easier for people to afford (on their own)," Whittle said.

Aside from frozen poultry and canned fish, Whittle says there is also a need for alternative proteins like lentils, peanut butter and Halal meats as the Good Shepherd also serves people with cultural and dietary restrictions.

On Tuesday afternoon, shelves at the Good Shepherd Venture Centre Market Place that normally carry fresh produce were nearly bare.

In a typical month, the Good Shepherd Venture Centre Market Place serves more than 2,500 households made up of nearly 7,000 individuals including infants. The food bank also provides pet food to about 600 of those homes, which Whittle says shows the need for companionship.

"Poverty disconnects us from community when we don't have the resources to have friends over," said Whittle. The Thanksgiving dinner provides a decent meal and human interaction.

It's a chance to come together and create good memories, said Whittle.

Hamilton FoodShare, which coordinates food procuring and distribution for city food banks, including Good Shepherd, recently published its 2018 Hunger Count:

Here are some of the results from itsfood bank usage survey:

• The number of people turning to food banks increased last year to 12,619.
• Almost 2 in 5 people relying on the emergency food network in Hamilton are children. That's up 1% over last year.
• 86% of households that live in market rental properties are at high risk or extreme risk of becoming homeless.
• 38% of people using food banks need more than 5 days of food each month.
• Over 1 in every 3 food bank users receive disability-related income supports in Hamilton. That's well above the national rate.

The Good Shepherd Thanksgiving dinner takes place on Monday, Oct. 8, 2018 at the Good Shepherd Men's Centre at 135 Mary St.