After several months of redirecting local Foodshare users to Peterborough’s Kawartha Food share because of COVID, our local food bank reopened its doors in early August.
Thanks to the generosity of local individuals, churches and other organizations, their supplies have been replenished through local donations without the need to bring in deliveries from the regional partner, Kawartha Food Share.
Demand for local food bank support has dwindled over the last few years. On the surface, this can be seen as good news, but that’s not the whole story. According to Millbrook Foodshare organizer Clark Mayhew, one of the contributing factors to this decline is the reduction in local low income housing options which has forced some of the former service users to relocate to Peterborough in search of affordable housing. At the moment, the local food bank is seeing between five and ten families each week. In the past, this number has been as high as thirty.
A similar reduction in Christmas Hamper demand is also expected. Millbrook and District Food Share volunteers have gun to get organized for this year’s Christmas Hamper program which involves the preparation and distribution of customized boxes of goodies for registered recipients. The contents of each hamper is based on the size and composition of the recipient families, with a value ranging from $200 to $300. Included are non-perishable food items, fresh local produce, a grocery voucher from Foodland and $25 Walmart vouchers for each child in the family. These items allow recipients to purchase particular items to make their own holiday special. This year Mayhew expects the organization to prepare a maximum of 50 hampers, down from 80 a few years ago.
Hampers are only provided to those who register. This can be done in person during the regular Foodshare hours of 3 to 5pm on November 10th, 17th of 24th, or by leaving a message at 705-932-7066 during the month of November. Messages will be returned and approved recipients will receive a code. To help in their content selection, callers are asked to provide the number of children in their family and their ages. Hampers will be available for pick up on December 15th during at the Food Share location during their regular hours. KG
