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COVID-19 Update

By Jenna Cura
March 13, 2020
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We can’t do this without you. Please make a financial donation to The Mississauga Food Bank today. We will require $840,000 to keep the shelves stocked during this crisis – $360,000 more than anticipated.

At The Mississauga Food Bank (TMFB), the health and safety of our staff, volunteers, clients, and agencies is our top priority. Our goal during this pandemic is to ensure those living in poverty can access food and that our network of neighbourhood food banks, pantries, and other food programs can provide this food in a healthy and safe way. We are monitoring the situation closely and will update this post as things change.

FAQ

How will this impact low-income individuals who are in need of food bank services?

  • Individuals living in poverty or with a low income are often unable to stockpile extra food or medicine in the event of sudden illness or quarantine 
  • Even in the best of circumstances, individuals living with a low-income struggle to afford all of their basic necessities – emergency situations, such as this, put significant stress on already tight budgets
  • We are also concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on individuals employed in precarious positions without access to benefits and/or paid sick days. This loss in income could significantly shift the financial well-being of these households
  • We are also concerned about the long-term effects that COVID-19 may have on the economy and in turn, low-income families in Ontario 

How Can I Help?

  • TMFB is not primarily government-funded and relies on the generosity of the community to support families in need. As such, we need financial resources to meet demand.
  • During this time, it is important to remember your neighbours who may not have the same access to food and personal items. Please consider a financial donation to the food bank or you can drop off donated food at the food bank.
  • Please note: Mississauga fire stations are not currently able to accept donations for the food bank.
  • Click here to see a list of our most needed items

Can I still volunteer?

  • Our priority is the health and safety of our volunteers and staff. As of March 19, we will only require volunteers on a limited basis. Opportunities will be posted here.
  • Some of our agencies require volunteers. Please visit these links for Seva Food Bank Wolfedale and Seva Food Bank Malton.
  • To prevent the spread of COVID-19, volunteers must confirm that they have not:
    • travelled abroad within the last 14 days
    • been exposed to a case of COVID-19 within the last 14 days
    • experienced difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, a high temperature, cough, and/or sore throat within the last 14 days

Are you changing your services?

  • TMFB is NOT suspending food deliveries or pick-ups and will continue to provide our essential service of food rescue and redistribution
  • Neighbourhood food banks are providing hampers of food based on the number of people in a household versus our typical method where clients “shop” for their choices of food. This is to minimize the length and proximity of interactions between clients and volunteers
  • If any of our agencies temporarily close, change their hours, or make any other operational changes, these will be updated on our map

How are you ensuring health and safety at the food bank?

  • Our top priority is the health and safety of all those who help provide food and those who receive it.
  • TMFB has put protocols in place to ensure our facility and staff are healthy and safe, including enhanced cleaning and disinfecting measures across all public areas and high-traffic and frequently touched surfaces, providing hand sanitizer in various locations, visible signage throughout the building reminding people of preventative best practices such as regular hand washing, maintaining social distancing where possible, avoiding hand-shaking, moving meetings to teleconferences, using rubber gloves when handling food, and more.

If you have any questions about how TMFB is handling COVID-19/ Coronavirus, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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