As many students get new items to head back-to-school, local food banks are also looking for items to fill their shelves.

Many of the shelves at the Food Pantry in Newmarket were empty on Friday and they are running out of stock to put out for people in need.

“During the summer months people are busy with their summer vacations and that and they tend to forget that we still need food at the food bank,” says Liz Blight with Newmarket Food Pantry.

While it’s a common site at food banks across the region in August, this is also the time when food banks are needed most.

“With the kids going back-to-school and parents having to but the extra clothes and supplies and sometimes food is at the bottom of the list,” adds Blight.

The Food Pantry serves more than 400 families per month and food is going out faster than it’s coming in.

In Orillia, it’s a similar story and with school just over a week away, food banks desperately need donations in hopes of sending kids back to school with healthy lunches and snacks.

“If families are already struggling to purchase groceries, school snacks, especially healthy school snack are an expense that are one of the first that has to get cut and it’s also one of the easiest places for us to be able to help out,” says Shawna Ballick with The Sharing Place Food Bank.  

Lunch friendly foods, healthy snacks and peanut free products are needed.

“Donations don’t have to have the nut free symbol, but they can’t have peanuts as an active ingredient so that it complies with different school regulations so all snacks are safe to go into schools. We take apple sauces, granola bars, fruit clips, pudding,” adds Ballick.

Along with school snacks, pastas and sauces, cereal, canned proteins and rice are always needed.