The Banque d'aliments Sudbury Food Bank handed out more than $253,000 at their 2019 fall give on Nov. 28.
The food bank holds both a spring and fall give every year, where they take the opportunity to thank their 44 member agencies and their volunteers for their ongoing efforts to feed the city's hungry and less fortunate.
"This is one of my favourite days of the year at the food bank, the spring give and the fall give," said Dan Xilon, Sudbury Food Bank executive director. "We get to distribute the funds we've collected to all of you (member organizations) to carry on the great work that you do in the community. We couldn't meet the needs of the community without you and all of your efforts."
Over the past six months, the food bank raised a total of $253,308.16, and with this year's fall give the Sudbury Food Bank has distributed $9,953,980 in funds to local food charities. In addition to the dollars given to agencies to buy food, the Sudbury Food Bank has distributed more than 6,165 tons (food value of $32,058,000) of perishable and non-perishable physical food items since its inception.
"I know there are lots of people outside of this room, in businesses, schools, families that make this moment possible, who make these cheques that we give out possible," said Sudbury Food Bank president Mellaney Dahl.
"It's an extension of our family when we give money to the food bank and contribute to food drives, when we help support other charities like Big Brothers Big Sisters and the United Way, it's an extension of our family and you all here are an extension of our family at the Sudbury Food Bank."
The food bank is now less than $50,000 away from distributing $10,000,000 to its member agencies and could hit that milestone by their spring give in 2020.
"I never thought we'd get to that kind of number and the board has said that we'll definitely plan something if we hit that figure," said Xilon.
"But we'll only hit that figure if the community wishes for us to hit that figure, over the next six months of fundraising it will be what the community decides to do to assist people who are hungry in our community. I know Sudbury is a very generous community and I know they'll do the best they can. We can certainly hope and the need is certainly there."
