Food insecurity surges prompting one food bank to change to address demand

Bradford -

After 31 years, the Helping Hand Food Bank in Bradford West Gwillimbury is making changes to help serve the community's growing need.

Former food bank president, Carolyn Khan, was recently hired as the first executive director.

"Volunteers are wonderful, and we still have them but having someone paid means everything runs more smoothly," Khan said.

Over the past year, the food bank has seen an increase and serves about 1,000 people a month.

"Groceries have been astronomically expensive, and we are seeing that here, people who didn't come and access the food bank before," Khan said.

At the same time, Cyndie Pasquarella has stepped into the role of president and long-time volunteer Bill Jermyn was named vice-president.

Within the last year, the food bank has also increased its partnerships in the community and is seeing more donations than ever.

Last year it raised around $700,000 in both food and money, its best year yet.

But with more people and donations than ever, its current location is busting at the seams.

Because of that, the food bank is gearing up to move down the street into the former Bradford Public School.

"It's all part of a virtuous circle of improving operations, getting a new space and getting an executive director to help run the day-to-day," said Jonathan Scott, councillor.

The new space will bring everything together under one roof, and the goal is to have it up and running within six months to a year.