The Hawkesbury Central Food Bank continues to provide vital services to town residents as concerns about food insecurity and homelessness continue in the community.
On Monday, February 10, Hawkesbury town council adopted a resolution proclaiming a food insecurity emergency in Hawkesbury. The food bank is seeing more than 1,000 clients per month.
“We have a mission, which is to help people,” said food bank President Jeanne Charlebois, who also serves as a town councillor.
Recently, services such as L’Acadien Préférer have been established in Hawkesbury to assist homeless and hungry residents. A seasonal warming centre is also provided at the former St-Jean-Bosco school.
Charlebois said the food bank will continue with its role of providing food, clothing, and other personal care items to Hawkesbury residents.
As an example, she said the food bank tries to offer foods with pull-tab cans so individuals without access to can openers can easily open products.
The Hawkesbury Central Food Bank is also a registered charity, which means it is obligated to a significant amount of financial accountability. It is also a registered business corporation. It is also eligible to receive food items through Feed Ontario, the provincial network of food banks.
The food bank does not provide hot meals to clients. It does provide non-perishable food items, clothing, personal care items, and some furnishings, free of charge. It does not compete with other services and organizations to assist people, because each of those organizations has a different mission.
“We’re specifically a food bank,” said food bank Director Robert Lefebvre, who is also Mayor of Hawkesbury.
Lefebvre is hopeful the food bank will soon also be certified by Food Banks Canada, the national food bank organization.
The food bank relies heavily on both financial contributions and donations of items from residents, community organizations, and area businesses.
“We have a great relationship with the food stores here in Hawkesbury,” Lefebvre said.
He said about 1,300 people used the food bank in January, and about 475 of those people were women with children under the age of 17. Lefebvre said the food bank is also seeing many more people over the age of 60.
The Hawkesbury Central Food Bank is always accepting new volunteers. The food bank is located at 419 Cartier Boulevard.
