I was flying back from Toronto on Thursday after the Food Banks Canada Annual Meeting.
It gave me time to think about hunger in Canada.
I just completed my term as chair of Food Banks Canada Network Council, representing food banks from sea to sea to sea. We were up 22 per cent from last year in food. We supplied more than $70 million in food and funds to fight hunger. This is only the national assistance; each food bank raises food and money on its own.
Sudbury successfully distributes an amazing $3 million. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians eat because of the wonderful generosity of people like you, people in Sudbury, Surrey and St. John, people across our country who generously give.
You may have put in a can of corn at a food drive or a cheque in a donation envelope; the same values we celebrate in Sudbury are evident everywhere in our country. We live in the era of “fake news,” a place that seems to confuse “the” truth with“my”truth, where we “spin” the facts to fit a story.
When you are hungry, it hurts, physically and emotionally. Nothing to fake, just a painful fact.
I am very proud of the dedicated volunteers who give the hungry hope.
Nick Jennery is the man who took over the chair, he leads Feed Nova Scotia. He is one of the most genuine caring people I have ever met and will do a great job for our organization. He reminds me of many Sudburians, people who are smiling down on the work we do: Father Brian McKee, Hub Bray and Ray Loiselle, people who lead the cause today, Paul Pedersen, Mel Dahl and Dan Xilon.
Nick reminds me how blessed we are to have so many Canadians who help others. I would love to be returning to Sudbury to say we have defeated hunger, but I am happy to report that working together we have produced an excellent social safety net.
That net protects the most vulnerable in our communities, and it is woven together on the strength of our many generous donors.
Seventy million Thank yous for your kindness this year! At a time when it is easy to question reality, it seems very Canadian to celebrate a giving nature that provides care for our neighbours.
Geoffrey Lougheed
past-chair, Food Banks Canada Network Council