West Island food bank to hold Sunday 'Porch to Pantry' food drive as donations dwindle
The West Island Mission usually has about three months worth of food at any time, but since donations have slowed down staff is unsure how much they will have to offer next week.
"We have nothing on the shelves," said executive director Suzanne Scarrow.
At their self-serve food bank, families can take what they need.
"If someone's reached out to a food bank, and is food insecure, at that time in their life, they should be choosing what their family needs," Scarrow said.
But these days, there isn't much choice. An urgent notice on its website says they are facing an "overwhelming demand."
About 1,000 people come to the Mission in Pointe-Claire for groceries every two weeks. The food bank has never had a problem with supply until now.
"We used to have three shelves of canned vegetables. Right now, there's next to nothing. It's scary times," Scarrow said.
With the rising cost of living in Canada, she said people aren't donating as much. About one quarter of the clients come from Pointe-Claire.
"Sadly, many of them are seniors and we are an aging community, so it's very important to us," said Pointe-Claire Mayor Tim Thomas.
"I'm asking the residents to be generous to support their neighbours. People are worse off than people think."
The Mission is holding a one-day"Porch to Pantry" food drive Sunday where residents can leave bags of food on their porches for pick-up.
Lyse Baudette put out three bags filled with items like juice and canned tomatoes. Those items were on sale, she said.
"It's awful. I buy on special almost exclusively lately," she said.
Lyse Baudette put three bags of donated food outside her home for pick-up. (Luca Caruso-Moro/CTV News)
Scarrow said high on their wish list is high-nutrition and non-perishable foods.
"Even canned meals, soups, rice, peanut butter, canned meat — tuna, salmon, chicken," she said.
People can leave their food out for pick-up in a labelled bag at 9 a.m. Sunday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Speaker kicks Poilievre out of Commons over unparliamentary comments
Speaker Greg Fergus kicked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre out of the House of Commons during question period today.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
Judge raises threat of jail in hush money trial as he holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
Court upholds Milwaukee police officer's firing for posting racist memes after Sterling Brown arrest
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a former Milwaukee police officer was properly fired for posting racist memes related to the arrest of an NBA player that triggered a public outcry.
Witness details deadly wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A driver who witnessed a wrong-way police pursuit on Highway 401 moments before a fatal crash said he was hoping the chase would have been called off before lives were lost.