This past summer, Kawartha Lakes Food Source received an award from Food Banks Canada, an organization representing 4,750 food banks and community agencies supporting food security across Canada.
The Excellence in Food Banking Award honours affiliate food banks in the Food Banks Canada network that go above and beyond the core mission of providing food to those needing help. Award recipients play an instrumental role in improving the communities they serve through creative, efficient and successful programs and services and exemplify the highest standards of operation.
Kawartha Lakes Food Source received the award for a medium-size organization, with North York Harvest Food Bank receiving the award for a large organization and Helping Hands Family Aid Food Bank in Marystown, Newfoundland and Labrador receiving the award for a small organization.
The award was presented to Kawartha Lakes Food Source executive director Heather Kirby at Food Banks Canada’s 2023 National Conference in Edmonton, Alberta on June 27.
“It is an honour to be recognized by our national peers for the work we do to reduce food insecurity,” says Kirby in a media release. “We work diligently to build and sustain confidence in our agency, have expanded to deliver our own programs that directly serve the community, and provide employment readiness opportunities to build essential skills in those entering the workforce.”
For 21 years, Kawartha Lakes Food Source has been serving the community as a central distribution centre that provides food to their own food bank and seven member food bank, 24 schools, and six social service agencies. The organization has a staff of five with more than 100 volunteers who provide support to all aspects of operations including sorting donations, warehouse, food bank, gardening, driving, office support, food drives, and more.
As well as educating the community about hunger and advocating for positive change through partnerships, Kawartha Lakes Food Source has also developed its own programming over the past six years, including raised garden beds and a take-home meal box project to get client households cooking together more as a family.
Through funding from Food Banks Canada, Kawartha Lakes Food Source has partnered with the local municipal housing corporation to provide single-serve frozen meals to tenants.
For more information about Kawartha Lakes Food Source or to volunteer or donate, call 705-324-0707 or visit www.kawarthalakesfoodsource.com.
