On Monday night we held the Best in Class Awards, our annual celebration recognizing those who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to ending hunger in Toronto. The room buzzed with the energy of dedicated people all focused on this common goal.
“I feel honoured just to be in your presence, because all of you are doing such tremendous work to serve those in need,” said Liane Fernandes, Vice President, Ontario of the Canadian Red Cross. “Everyone deserves to receive fresh food, and all of you are making that happen.”
The attendees might seem like a surprising bunch — seated alongside food bank coordinators and community advocates were farmers, plumbing suppliers, business consultants and forklift providers. But each one has joined the fight to end hunger through volunteerism, donations and tenacity.
The event took place at the National Yacht Club and was co-hosted by Daily Bread CEO Neil Hetherington and the talented Gurdeep Ahluwalia, of 98.1 CHFI’s The Pooja and Gurdeep Show. We were so grateful Gurdeep could join us for the third year in a row for this festive night filled with well-deserved congratulations.
All of us at Daily Bread would like to thank and recognize the following 2024 Best in Class Award recipients and nominees:
NEXT Supply is deeply committed to supporting our most vulnerable communities across the GTHA. Daily Bread has benefited from their generosity over the past year, through both funding and volunteerism. Their leadership team fosters a corporate culture based on teamwork and helping their community, even tying their donation to their internal employee engagement initiatives. They are an exemplary partner who over this past year has risen to the occasion, helping us to meet the ever-increasing need.
Congratulations to Royal Gold Corporation and ON-TEK Electrical Services as well for their nominations!
Shelf-stable fruit products are so valuable within food banks for their nutritional value, long shelf-life and easy storage requirements. Dole Packaged Food donates shelf-stable fruit monthly, allowing us to plan our distribution ahead of time and apply cost savings to an ever-increasing food purchase budget. Dole has donated over 340,000 lbs of food since 2023, equal to an incredible 1.5 million servings going to those in need.
Congratulations to Post Consumer Brands as well for their nomination!
Over the past 7 years, Ryan and Karyn Tindall have worked closely with Daily Bread to redirect over 350,000 lbs of farm fresh broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage from their family farm outside of Georgina, Ontario. The Tindalls’ commitment to not plowing under or discarding imperfect vegetables means that our clients have access to local, nutritious, and fresh vegetables when they are at the height of Ontario growing season.
Parkdale Community Food Bank provides an integral service in their community. They have seen exponential growth in the last few years and have risen to meet that need. Since moving the food bank to their new space on Dunn Avenue, they have been able to create a shopping experience for their clients in a space that is both welcoming and dignified. In addition to this they have sustained their delivery program, which provides an essential service to those who are unable to access a food bank in person.
Congratulations to Christie Ossington Neighbourhood Centre and Bloor West Food Bank as well for their nominations!
The Corner Drop-In is a safe space and place of refuge for many of the most vulnerable people in the Kensington Market area. In addition to hot meals and shelter, this organization also provides crisis counselling and facilities with access to showers and laundry. Their integrated approach also helps people access additional services, like harm reduction, long-term counselling and social supports.
Congratulations to Bethany Baptist Church Food Bank and Mount Olive Food Bank as well for their nominations!
Canadian Red Cross is the only program in our network that delivers food to those who are otherwise unable to access a food bank due to limited mobility or are living with a temporary or permanent disability. The Red Cross Mobile Food Bank serves over 3, 000 clients per month who would otherwise not have access to nutritious and heathy food options.
Congratulations to Holy Wisdom Food Bank and Mabelle Food Program at Islington United Church as well for their nominations!
Liftow has supported Daily Bread through a generous donation of a forklift and electric pallet jacks, which have been instrumental in our overall operations. Liftow’s team members have also volunteered on-site and given to Daily Bread through their annual charity golf tournament held in conjunction with North American Steel. Over the last 12 months, Liftow has donated over $35,000 to Daily Bread.
Congratulations to Acrisure Re Canada Ltd. and Metro Cable TV Maintenance and Service Employees Association as well for their nominations!
Lorie Scarfarotti brings amazing energy as a regular volunteer in the warehouse. She adds levity to the physical days by engaging others in meaningful conversation and building wholesome relationships. She even leaves notes of encouragement in her picked orders to brighten up food bank workers’ days as they find them. We are grateful for Lorie’s kindness, and for her engagement in the Daily Bread culture.
Congratulations to Wendy Deacon and Cathy Halvorson as well for their nominations!
Social Planning Toronto confronts inequity head-on by driving social and policy change through research, civic engagement, advocacy, and collaboration. With a network of over 100 organizations, they have been pivotal in mobilizing collective action on critical issues like poverty and food insecurity. As a trusted partner of Daily Bread, they provide vital support in helping to achieve dignified outcomes for our food bank clients.
Congratulations to Disability Without Poverty and Income Security Advocacy Centre as well for their nominations!
In mid-September, neighbourhoods across Toronto were blanketed with signature red bags as part of Purolator’s annual Red Bag campaign, which generates tens of thousands of pounds of food donations each year. A longstanding partner of Daily Bread, Purolator’s support dates back to 1997. Over the years, Purolator has generated more than 800,000 meals for Torontonians facing food insecurity.
Congratulations to Markland Woods Homeowners Association and Pitched Perfect Events as well for their nominations!
The Poirier Group team spent six months assessing and reviewing our operation, providing a great deal of insight into how we can best process and flow inventory to maximize the utilization of our facility. Their expertise allowed us to see our facility for its full potential, which is resulting in further improvements this year. The countless hours they dedicated to this project were all pro bono. Thank you, Poirier Group, for your incredible partnership and support.
Congratulations to Polaris Global Logistics and Riverside Natural Foods as well for their nominations!
As a former civil servant who worked in the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services for 28 years, John Stapleton’s expertise in social assistance policy has been invaluable to the sector. He has contributed to significant initiatives and programs like the National Child Benefit and the Task Force on Modernizing Income Security as well as numerous advisory groups, including those for federal and provincial poverty reduction strategies. We at Daily Bread are honored to call him an advisor, partner, and friend.
Thank you so much to all of the extremely deserving nominees and winners for coming out to celebrate with us, and for everything you do to support our communities. We’re honoured to stand by your side in the fight against hunger.
