Neil Hetherington, CEO of Daily Bread, emphasized the growing crisis level of food insecurity in Toronto, stating "These are horrifying numbers for one of the wealthiest cities in the world, and a direct result of a lack of affordable housing, income supports and a rise in precarious employment." He highlighted that the organization has experienced an alarming 25% increase in client visits over the past year.
Hetherington noted, "Daily Bread is expecting to spend approximately $29 million on food purchases this year to keep up with the rising demand, a significant increase from our usual $1.5 million annual average pre-pandemic. This reflects an urgent and critical need within our communities."
Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop reminded everyone, "Every donation makes a difference," emphasizing the role of the community in combating food insecurity. With 85 fire halls hosting donation bins, public participation is crucial for the campaign's success.
As part of the campaign, Purolator has engaged local residents by asking them to fill reusable red shopping bags with non-perishable items for collection. Last year, they collected nearly 30,000 pounds of food and are hopeful to exceed this amount.
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