More than 350 students from across the city are helping the Daily Bread Food Bank kick off its annual Spring Drive with the March Break Madness program this week.
"It's a great week for us. The students fulfill their required volunteer hours by helping us sort donations and get to learn a little more about what we do at the same time," said Daily Bread's executive director, Gail Nyberg. "They also help kick start our Spring Drive by bringing in donations of their own."Launching officially on March 19, the goal of the Etobicoke-based food bank's Spring Drive is to raise 250,000 pounds of food and $250,000 before April 9. This spring, donations are needed more than ever, Nyberg said."From August 2009 to January 2010, the number of client visits to food banks increased in Toronto by 11 per cent, which means an extra 41,000 clients accessed one of our client food banks this year over the same time last year," she said. "That's a dramatic increase."While those numbers are starting to level off, Nyberg said she's holding her breath in wait of a potential spike in users come this summer, when all those who lost their jobs last year will reach the end of their employment benefits,As a result, Daily Bread is looking for not only food donations, but also cash gifts."Feeding hungry people won't solve the reasons why people are going hungry in the first place," Nyberg added, noting that monetary gifts allow Daily Bread to create successful job training programs for clients, as well as to educate the public by providing volunteer opportunities for youth like March Break Madness.Financial donations to the Spring Drive can be made online at www.dailybread.ca or by calling 416-203-0050. Cheques can be mailed to Daily Bread Food Bank at 191 New Toronto Street, Toronto, Ont, M8V 2E7. Non-perishable food donations can be dropped off at any local fire hall any time, and starting on March 19 at any Loblaws, Valu-mart, Real Canadian Superstore or No Frills stores. High protein donations of canned meat and fish, peanut butter, and beans are currently in need, as well as such staple items as rice and pasta.