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COVID-19 Emergency Food Bank Update

By Jenna Cura
December 1, 2021
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As provincial restrictions and mandates continue to be lifted and we transition to post-COVID operations, we will be winding down our Emergency Food Bank and its last day of operation will be on April 29, 2022. 

In 2020, The Mississauga Food Bank launched its onsite Emergency Food Bank as an immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the onset of the pandemic, some of our smaller food banks and programs had to temporarily close their doors. To ensure everyone had continued access to emergency food, The Mississauga Food Bank converted a portion of its warehouse to open its Emergency Food Bank to provide food to vulnerable neighbours. This program provided improved access for hungry neighbours using a food bank for the first time, or who were unsure of how to access their neighbourhood food bank.

The intention of the Emergency Food Bank was always meant to be a temporary solution to maintain food bank services in Mississauga during the height of the pandemic and to meet the increasing need for food. Along with other neighbourhood food banks, we have started to transition to post-COVID operations as provincial mandates and restrictions start to lift.

After April 29, if people arrive at The Mississauga Food Bank, we will provide them with an emergency supply of 2 – 3 days’ worth of food and information to direct them to their closest neighbourhood food bank.

The wind-down of the Emergency Food Bank will allow for The Mississauga Food Bank to focus on other initiatives that will enable us to continue to serve hungry neighbours and free up space that is desperately needed in our crowded warehouse. As we transition our Emergency Food Bank clients to their local neighbourhood food bank, our team is working diligently to ensure all hungry neighbours will be able to access healthy and appropriate food.

Through the Emergency Food Bank, we were able to serve over 20,000 clients and distributed over 275,000 pounds of food and we look forward to re-allocating our resources to continue to be the leader in fighting food insecurity across our city.  

We are grateful to all our volunteers, donors, partners, and community members who have supported the Emergency Food Bank since the onset of the pandemic. We are proud to have been able to serve our community during a time of great need and to provide healthy and appropriate food to hungry neighbours who showed up at our doors. With your support, we will continue to provide nutritious food to neighbours in need through our network of 50+ agencies across Mississauga and our Food Bank 2 Home Delivery Program.

If you are in need of food, please click on “Need Food? and find out which neighbourhood food bank is closest to you.

 

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