Windsor food bank shelves become empty around April

By Felicia Patterson

 

Windsorites donate more food around the Christmas holidays than any other time of year, according to an employee of the Downtown Mission.

The Windsor Essex Food Bank Association is a non-profit organization made up of 15 food banks offering necessities such as food and clothes to individuals and families in need. Food banks receive donations from many sources including local school can drives and personal contributions. Non-perishable food items are contributed when there is a can drive, leaving it up to food bank supervisors and staff to come up with ways to cover the cost of fresh dietary essentials. Most food banks in the Windsor Essex County area, including the Downtown Mission, do not receive government funding.

Windsor food banks are flooded with donations during the days leading up to Christmas. Some food banks offer extra help during the holiday season and also help to promote toy drives like Sparky’s Toy Drive. One food bank supervisor says the shelves of some food banks become so stocked around the holidays, it lasts for months.

“Usually we get enough at Christmas that it stocks us up right through February and partially through March,” said Laurie Musson, supervisor of the Downtown Mission Food and Clothing Bank. “In April, that’s when our shelves are starting to get empty.”

One Windsor mother said she uses food banks twice a month to help sustain her family.

“I utilize food banks because I have a low income and a large family,” said Katie Renaud, who is a stay-at-home-mom of six.

Most Windsor food banks require identification for all family members and proof of income. Some banks require individuals to provide confirmation of address, as some food banks have set boundaries in which one must live in order to receive food assistance. Various services are offered at food banks depending on the location. The Downtown Mission offers a culinary assistance program in which individuals are taught how to prepare recipes with simple ingredients, most of which are offered at food banks.

“We have cooking lessons that we have once a month where a woman comes in and shows good, healthy ways of cooking with the foods that we provide at the food bank,” said Musson.

Musson said the staff at the Downtown Mission try to ensure fresh food and baby items are available despite their low budget, because of not receiving government funding.

“We try to have fresh produce, eggs, milk, meat and that type of thing on hand all the time. Meat, we almost always have to purchase. We try to keep things as best we can for good health. We do have quite a few people who donate money every month, but that’s for the whole Mission, not just the food program,” said Musson. “We have a diaper and formula program here. We fund that totally.”

The Downtown Mission and some other Windsor food banks are successful in providing good quality food items, as well as quantity.

“When they come here they get usually about three to four bags of food. A lot of food. When they come in we know how many children they have. If it’s a large family, we will give them a larger portion,” said Musson. “Cereal, bread and stuff like that. Milk, if we’ve got it. Peanut butter. We try to give families with children protein items.”

Renaud said she appreciates the items she is given from food banks, as every little bit helps.

“I think the quality of food is actually pretty helpful. It’s not about satisfaction. You can’t be greedy when you go to the food bank,” said Renaud. “You get what you get. It’s helpful either way. It doesn’t matter what the quality or quantity it is, it’s all helpful.”

Hundreds of Syrian refugees have arrived in Windsor and Musson said she has already helped two families.

She said she believes the arrival of more Syrians to the area will put a strain on  Windsor food banks.