St. Thomas Elgin food bank is totally digging the help from local farmers

As grocery prices rise and visits to food banks increase,local food banks are grateful for the help they're getting from farmers insouthwestern Ontario.

• CBC London Sounds of the Season 2023

ForKaren McDadeof the St. Thomas Elgin Food Bank, it's a bounty she counts on every week.

"It's a massive help to us," she told CBC News. "Withgroceries, the price has just skyrocketed. It's just ridiculous what a family has to pay, especially for fresh produce."

From milk and eggs to meat and fruit, the St. Thomas Food Bank gets regular deliveries of foodfrom farmers in the area, which it then passes on to clients in need.

Great Lakes Farms, for example, provides fresh apples.

"It's better than canned fruit,"said McDade. "It's always great to be able to offer fresh fruit."

"We're so lucky to live where we live and have all of this produce available. To be able to give two to three bags of vegetablesto a family, enough to feed them for a week, is amazing. I'm so fortunate to be able to hand that out to our clients."

Chris Devriesowns Common Ground, one of the vegetable farms in the St. Thomas area that regularly donates produce to the food bank. Hesaid even the most efficient farms generate excess produce, and he's happy to donate it.

"It's nearly impossible for us to produce exactly what we need, although we're always trying,"said Devries.

In addition to selling at farmers markets such asLondon's Western Fair District, Common Ground's business model includes a delivery service. Devries said he's happy to put the St. Thomas Food Bank on his route so they can donate produce that might otherwise go to waste.

"For us it's not hard to get that extra product to the food bank, and we appreciate doing it," said Devries.

During the growing season, one of Common Ground's most popular products is prepared salad mixes. Already packaged and portioned, they are an easy and healthy addition to a meal.

"They're highly perishable but they're something that our customers really appreciate," he said. "The food bank is getting a steady flow of the extras, like kale and chards. We make sure we have lots of it and any extra, the food bank gets it."

Farmers like Devries who donate also get something back in the form of a tax credit.

"For me, I love donating and it's a huge bonus to have that tax receipt," he said.

Food banks face growing need

McDadesaid the produce from local farmers is needed more than ever to meet the rising need they're seeing at the door.

"It's staggering," she said of the increased client visits.

In 2020 they fed 8,200 people. With a few weeks to go in 2023, the food bank has already fed more than 18,000 people this year.

"We're going to be close to 20,000 this year," she said. "We've never been close to that before. We have more new people coming daily here and this really helps."

Help us fight hunger by considering a donation to the London Food Bank. Until the end of Dec., CBC London is raising money for Londoners in need through our Sounds of the Season campaign. For more details, click on the link.

• CBC London Sounds of the Season 2023