NEWS RELEASE
FOOD BANK OF YORK REGION
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Today, the YMCA of Greater Toronto announced its partnership with the Food Bank of York Region (FBYR) to help process and prepare food donations for community members in need.
While an influx of donations to the FBYR means they can provide more food for those experiencing hunger and food insecurity, this increase also means a shortage of storage space. The YMCA’s Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre is currently unoccupied and will be used as a food storage, sorting and repacking facility for overflowing food donations.
“Our newfound partnership with the Food Bank of York Region is an incredible one that was born out of the simple yet critical need to help address growing food insecurity in our community during this challenging time,” says Medhat Mahdy, President and CEO, YMCA of Greater Toronto. “Our team is working closely with the FBYR – they will be shipping us surplus food donations and providing training for our staff so they can learn how to properly sort and repack the food for distribution. We’re thrilled that one of our locations, which was sitting empty due to COVID restrictions, can now be used to support our community.”
Once the YMCA team at Cedar Glen has prepared the food donations for redistribution, they will be loaded onto a designated FBYR refrigerated truck and sent out for delivery to their network of agencies within the community. The FBYR has also offered some of the food donations to the Y to distribute to other affiliate organizations both in and outside of York region.
“I’m thrilled to be working with an organization with a rich history of providing vital services to the youth of our region and youth throughout the world,” says Alex Bilotta, CEO and Founder, The Food Bank of York Region. “The state of emergency has brought us together to help households make ends meet during this very difficult time. We’re looking forward to a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with the Y.”
The Y offers a number of food focused programs and services that help people access food and provide hands-on learning opportunities, from growing to cooking food. This partnership is one of the many ways the Y is stepping up and giving back during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information about the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s food and hospitality programs and services, visit: www.ymcagta.org
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