We’d like to share a new fundraising activity at The Mississauga Food Bank that you could join in with very easily and won’t cost you a thing!

There is a new and profitable way to make money that benefits the environment as well – The Mississauga Food Bank is tackling the growing problem of electronic waste and literally turning it into cash.

The Mississauga Food Bank is participating in the Think Recycle program, which gathers old print cartridges, cameras and cell phones in the community and exchanges them for money. Greentec, the company behind Think Recycle, then collects, processes and recycles the electronics, diverting the electronic waste from local landfill sites.

Over 300 million empty printer cartridges are generated in North America every year, or 900,000,000 pounds of waste that can potentially end up in a landfill. The Think Recycle program has been responsible for the diversion of more than one million cartridges from landfills and has provided nearly $3 million in funding to its participants. More than 20,000 schools in North America participate in the Think Recycle program.

In addition to giving money for these used electronics, Greentec also donates one tree to Tree Canada for every 24 qualifying cell phones or cartridges that The Mississauga Food Bank returns. The Think Recycle program has paid for the planting of more than 50,000 trees, effectively removing 8,700 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere.

So how can you help?

1.       You can drop off old cell phones, digital cameras or laser and ink jet printer cartridges at The Mississauga Food Bank (36-2550 Goldenridge Road) during office hours.

2.       Your office or school can set up their own account with Think Recycle, collect your used cell phones, digital cameras or printer cartridges, and have the funds designated to The Mississauga Food Bank. Think Recycle will even provide you with a donation box and promotional materials! All the information is available at www.thinkrecycle.com.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at 905.270.5589 or info@themississaugafoodbank.org.

Share your story for a chance to win a $100 Loblaws gift card!

Your story is a powerful tool in the fight against hunger and its root causes.

Sharing the experiences of real people helps make difficult and often complex social issues easier to understand. We may choose your story to be featured on our website or marketing materials to better illustrate the struggles residents of Mississauga face in securing enough food.

If you’re not sure what to write about, you could tell us a story about your experience with any of the following issues:

• Going to a food bank for the first time
• Losing your job in this tough economy
• Having trouble making ends meet
• Working for wages that don’t support your family
• Difficulty with medical bills
• Difficulty affording rent
• Being homeless
• Difficulty accessing food or services where you live
• Living with a disability and waiting for ODSP benefits

Submit your story to meghan@themississaugafoodbank.org with the subject line “My Story”. Entries received on or before July 31 will be entered for a chance to win. A representative of The Mississauga Food Bank will contact the winner by email after July 31.

The fine print: By submitting my story, I hereby consent that I am 18 years of age or older and that The Mississauga Food Bank and its representatives and agencies may use my story to promote the Food Bank in its efforts to feed the hungry.  I understand that my story may be used in some promotional materials in a way that does not accurately reflect my lifestyle or me and that my name will not be used in any situation where my likeness is not used to reflect my actual circumstances.  I agree that all originals and reproductions of any likeness produced by and/or for The Mississauga Food Bank will remain property of the Food Bank.  I irrevocably hold The Mississauga Food Bank and its agencies and representatives harmless from any and all claims, liabilities, damages and expenses associated with authorized use of the above materials.  I understand that my representatives or I cannot revoke this release.