Infant Food Bank launches fifth Christmas campaign

There are currently more than 1,000 clients that access the Infant Food Bank (IFB).

The Infant Food Bank provides a relief program to families twice monthly. Available supplies include baby food, BPA-free bottles, formula, diapers, wipes and clothing. With the holidays quickly approaching, need for such products has never been greater.

As such, the IFB launched its annual All I Need for Christmas campaign to help raise funds and supplies for Greater Sudbury’s most vulnerable; babies and toddlers.

“We accept donations year-round for the Infant Food Bank; however, we know that the holidays can be an especially difficult time for families faced with hardships,” said Infant Food Bank Executive Director Dedee Flietstra. “Baby necessities and monetary donations are graciously accepted and especially needed at this time of year.”

The Infant Food Bank receive many generous donations due to the increase in awareness of the facility and its services, but with that awareness comes an increase in demand, Flietstra said.

“Since we began this campaign in 2009, we’ve seen our registration numbers and needs rise by 80 per cent, which goes to show that the need to help infants in Sudbury is great. We are here to help as many people as we can. When we get our 40 or so daily visits, families thank us and we let them know that it’s really the generous people in our community who are to thank.”

This is the fifth year for the All I Need for Christmas campaign, which receives project management and signage from Petryna Advertising.

“We’ve always felt that children cannot fend for themselves, and their circumstances are no fault of their own,” said Petryna Advertising President, David Petryna. “That’s why it’s important for us to help. And we’re not the only company that feels this way. The more people we tell the Infant Food Bank story to, the more people that want to help out.”

Petryna Advertising has again donated four 10-foot by 20-foot billboards to help spread the word of the campaign.

This year, Petryna Advertising’s sister company, Outdoor Exposure, donated advertising space on its four digital billboards on The Kingsway and Notre Dame. Other businesses are also stepping up for the cause, and to encourage even more businesses to participate, members of the Rotary Club of Sudbury Sunrisers teamed up with Petryna Advertising to begin the Fill A Crib Initiative.

The Infant Food Bank at a glance:
-The IFB serves approximately 10 families per hour that it is open, which amounts to about 40-plus clients per day.
-This past year, more than 13,000 different care closet and food bank needs have been met.
-The IFB has taught more than 350 parenting classes, and have had more than 3,500 client visits.

Current needs at the IFB include:
-Diapers: size 4, 5, 6
-Pull-ups (boys and girls)
-Baby jar food – 8 & 12 months
-Cereal – 8 & 12 months
-Good Start or Parent’s Choice formula
-Mum mums and Arrowroot cookies
-Breast pads
-Baby gates
-Crib mattresses