Simcoe County beef farmers donate to area food banks
Local food banks in Simcoe County are now stocked up on beef thanks to the Simcoe County Beef Farmers Association.
Jim Whitley, a farmer on the advisory council, donated roughly 500 pounds of beef from his farm.
“We learned about it from other counties or districts that have done this type of thing, and it just fit with our farm and what our county association wanted to do, and so yeah, the stars all aligned for us,” said Whitley.
The first half went to the food bank in Creemore at St. Luke’s Anglican Church. It will help 26 families in need.
“It’s wonderful because it will probably last a few months. We will give weekly to our families, and ground beef is such a diversified way of making meals. This is local beef, which again is really exceptional for us, and we are grateful to Jim Whitley for that,” said Reverend Lorna May at St. Luke’s Anglican Church.
Often smaller food banks don’t get the same support from all levels of government that larger food banks receive. And with inflation and rising costs, the need is now.
“We recognize how important it is for us as farmers to donate back to the community and the big need we have,” said Katherine Giffen, Simcoe County Beef Farmers Association president.
The other 250 pounds of the donation went to the Angus Food Bank.
“With the number of families that are in need in this area, it’s growing, there’s quite a few, this is really going to help us out because normally we would have to purchase some of that ourselves,” said Stephen Kennedy, Angus Food Bank volunteer.
Volunteers say this donation will last them roughly two to three months. The Angus food bank serves 125 families a month regularly.
“A lot of people really are finding it difficult, there’s a real crunch out there in terms of finances, and meat is probably one of the most expensive things that people can buy,” said volunteer Elizabeth Kenney.
The Simcoe County Beef Association says they hope to be able to make more donations in the future, possibly every spring and fall, to continue addressing the need locally.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.