Montreal food banks are again asking the public for cash instead of cans.
They say that financial contributions are the most-efficient way to help those in need.
“The cost of a can of food that you think you paid a dollar for but actually in transportation costs and time and sorting it, costs up to five or six dollars once it gets to the food bank,” said Fiona Crossling of Share The Warmth.
Cash donations give charities the final buying power and eliminate the inventory they'd have to manage.
Demand for food banks has been steadily increasing.
“Tuesday, we gave out 290 baskets,” said Bonnie Soutar, Director of Development at NDG Food Depot. “It’s pretty close to the record. We also served 315 meals.”
Beyond providing food, food banks also want to encourage healthy eating and lifestyles.
That’s easier to do when they’re the ones that purchase food.
“Our programs do target low income people, anyone who doesn’t have access to fresh and healthy food ” Soutar said. “We all know that we have to eat five to 10 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables.”
The NDG Food Depot, now known as The Depot, buys in bulk, a common practice for food banks.
The more money they have, the more food they can purchase.
“We say that for every dollar you give, we can buy three dollars-worth of food,” said Daniel Rotman of NDG Food Depot. “Plus, it’s what we need. We don’t have to store it and we can give it out as soon as we need.”
Charities still appreciate donated goods.
They’d just like the public to know what their organizations need.
“They probably don’t need cans of capers or marshmellows,” said Crossling. “What they do need are the basics.”
