The Easter holiday weekend is normally a time to get together with loved ones over a delicious meal. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic this year, gatherings were limited to immediate family members. If you are living in a single-person household, this meant your time would be spent alone. While this continued effort to practice social distancing is as important as ever, being isolated from family and friends can be lonely.
Furthermore, if you are one of the many people impacted financially during this time, you could find yourself wondering where your next meal is going to come from; let alone it being the full holiday dinner you may be used to. This may mean reaching out to your local food bank for help.
According to Food Banks Canada, providing food to those in need can be difficult at the best of times. With COVID-19, that task becomes much harder. Yet food banks remain a primary source of critical food resources to those living with hunger in their communities.
Seasons Retirement Communities first chose to partner with Food Banks Canada in 2016, after learning that an increasing number of seniors, aged 65 and older are needing to access its services. This direction also allowed us to focus our corporate giving efforts on local food banks in the cities and towns that our residents and team members call home. Since then, including this most recent $40,000 donation, the company has donated a combined total of $120,000 to food banks.
Previously, Seasons also donated 100 hams and 100 turkeys to food banks in every city or town where we operate a residence during the holiday season. After learning that food banks are in greater need during the summer months when they typically face a considerable decline in donations, we shifted our efforts to help fight hunger at a time when contributions are more urgently needed on a regular basis.
Similarly, given that there are already signs of COVID-19’s devastating impact on the food bank system, including a harsh decline in volunteers and dwindling stock due to a shrinking workforce, we feel compelled to act now. While the general public continues to stockpile for the future impacts of COVID-19, food bank users do not have the same means of going out and buying in bulk, leaving them more at risk to experience hunger.
Chief Operating Officer for Seasons, LeighAnne Voll says, “This issue is not only going to affect a growing number of seniors now but their family members, friends, and loved ones. By donating directly to Food Banks Canada, we hope to do the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people during such an unprecedented and challenging time.”
Food Banks Canada is continuing to accept donations to support its coronavirus response efforts across Canada. You could also consider donating to your local food bank directly.
