Happy New Year from the team at the Parkdale Community Food Bank!
Looking Back on 2023
2023 was a year of big changes for our organization and community.
First and foremost, we moved to a new location and reverted to a grocery store, or shopping, model. This change allowed us to offer services that are more aligned with our mission statement and better meet the needs of our community.
This year we also saw a significant rise in the number of client visits each month. In just a short span of time, we went from serving 6,000 individuals a month to over 9,000. To keep up with the increased demand, we onboarded new staff and volunteers and forged exciting new partnerships that helped expand our reach and impact.
2023 was a year of growth and transformation, and we're excited to see what 2024 has in store.
Daily Bread Food Bank Best in Class Awards
On October 2nd, we attended Daily Bread Food Bank's Best in Class Awards, where we are honoured to have been nominated for the Profound Community Impact Award. This award recognizes a food program committed to increasing food access to underserved communities. The recipient of this award deeply understands the needs of clients andhas shown courage and resourcefulness in overcoming barriers to running a large food program.
While we didn't take home the award, we were thrilled to have been nominated, and we congratulate the winner, Spadina Fort York Community Cares, for their incredible work. Spadina Fort York Community Cares is truly deserving of this award for all the incredible work they do in the community.
Holiday Food Drives & Fundraisers
Thanks to the hard work of businesses, individuals, and organizations within the community, the turnout for food drives during the holiday season was truly incredible. We saw an outpouring of support that was greatly appreciated and it left us in awe of the generosity of our community.
Dufferin Mall Gift Wrapping Fundraiser
This December, Dufferin Mall generously donated space and supplies for us to host a gift wrapping booth, raising funds for our programs and services. We had the opportunity to wrap gifts, sell merchandise, and collect non-perishable and monetary donations. We want to extend a big thank you to Dufferin Mall for their support and collaboration in making this fundraiser a success.
Feast 4 Parkdale Fundraiser
This holiday season we also hosted our Feast 4 Parkdale Fundraiser, which aimed to highlight the unique holiday traditions of our community while raising funds to purchase more diverse and culturally appropriate foods.
Thank you to everyone who donated or fundraised on our behalf this past year!
A Thank You to our Partners
Thank you to the following organizations, individuals, and businesses for their generous support this past year:
Second Harvest
Bike Brigade
Community Fridges Toronto
Brickworks Farmers Market
Cob’s Bread
Keiwit
Scooter Girl Toys
Dufferin Mall
Likely General
Sugo Toronto
Daily Bread Food Bank
Our incredible board members
Our entire volunteer team
Community Cookbook
This fall, we were excited to introduce the first edition of our community cook book. This cook book series will serve as a collection of recipes highlighting the cultures of our community and ingredients that are commonly found in the food bank.
At the moment, the cook book is available to be picked up the next time you stop by our Dunn Avenue location
Stay tuned for a full list of businesses in the community where it can be found for a pay-what-you-can fee and make sure to look out for our submission call for our Spring/Summer edition in April!
Annual General Meeting
On October 26th we hosted our Annual General Meeting. Thank you to everyone who came out, we were delighted to see how committed and involved our community is.
If you were unable to attend or would like a refresher on what was covered, the meeting slides and financial report can be found on our website.
Looking Towards 2024
As we look towards 2024, we are filled with excitement and anticipation for what the year will hold. We have many exciting partnerships and events planned for the year, and we cannot wait to share them with all of you.
One of the highlights of the year will be partnering with Canada Running Series for their Spring Run Off on April 6th. Registration is already open and we hope to see you there!
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to sharing all the exciting things to come in 2024.
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