After two years, New Sudbury food bank reopens
Almost two years ago, Inner City Home had to close its New Sudbury food bank location due to COVID-19.
“When COVID came into existence, a lot of our volunteers were older people and they were very nervous and concerned about being in an atmosphere that might get them to have COVID,” said Joe Drago, Inner City Home president.
"So a lot of them just drifted away from us for the time being and I’m hoping that when COVID is eventually over that they will come back."
Before the pandemic began, the organization had 100 volunteers; there are now about 40. Despite the shortage of volunteers, the New Sudbury location now will be open Tuesday from 10 a.m. until noon, when it was previously open twice a week.
Executive director Jennifer Grooms said while the location was closed, families in New Sudbury had their food delivered. The need has grown so much that the location had to reopen. Grooms said in 2020, the organization provided food to 900 households every month, but now that number has grown to 1,400.
Inner City Home is the largest emergency food provider in the city, supplying food to people from Alban to Falconbridge. Having the location reopen means those in need won’t have to go as far to access services.
“A lot of them come here and they have a grocery cart to haul these things to the bus stop," said volunteer Homer Carr.
"It’s really sad, but when you know when you're hungry, I guess you manage, so a lot of them don’t have transportation.”
The New Sudbury location services a lot of big families, providing around $100 worth of groceries every week. Grooms said it was difficult for many clients to make the trip downtown every week, so the doors had to be reopened.
A recent food drive put on by St. Andrew the Apostle Church stocked the location with food. With winter on the way, Drago said the need will increase and there are many things people in the community can do to help.
“Cash is really good for us because the arrangement we have -- for every dollar, we can buy $3 of food," he said.
"So it’s important that we have a lot of cash donations because then we can fill the shelves here a lot more than people just giving us cans -- which we want for sure. I’m not turning them off, but if we can get a lot of cash we can buy a lot more to help those that are in need”
To learn more about Inner City Home, click here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
LIVE SOON Honda expected to announce Ontario EV battery plant, part of a $15B investment
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Honda executives are expected to announce today that the Japanese automaker is building an electric vehicle battery plant in Alliston, Ont., part of a $15-billion investment.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'