Often, the support provided to clients by food banks and their staff extends well beyond food access.
For Shawn, that support came at a critical time in his life and has had a deep, lasting impact that will continue for years to come. “I grew up in the system, Children’s Aid, from the time I was five until I turned eighteen,” explains Shawn. As a result of his upbringing, he was left ill-equipped for the difficult transition into adulthood.
“I made a few missteps when I was younger,” says Shawn. “When I was at my lowest, it was the staff at the food bank who helped me. There is zero judgment. They don’t care about your past or how poor you are, and you just don’t find that anywhere else!”
Over the years, Daily Bread’s Information and Referrals team has connected Shawn with legal aid, assisted him in finding housing, and even connected him with the furniture bank.
Shawn, in part, credits this support for his later success in life. He has since acquired his DZ licence, is happily married, and has a lovely daughter whom he regularly accompanies on daddy-daughter dates at Daily Bread’s Community Meal.
Over the years, Shawn has also honed another incredible talent: building model cars and trucks.
As a show of his appreciation to the Daily Bread staff who have supported him over the years, he recently put that talent to work by building an exact replica of one of our trucks. “I wanted to put my skills and passion into something to show [the staff] how much I appreciate them. They do everything they can to help people, but they don’t get a lot of thank-yous. It was meant to be a labour of love.”
At a time when one in ten Torontonians rely on food banks for emergency access to food, food bank staff remain committed to serving every person who walks through the door. Shawn’s gift of his model truck serves as a shining reminder for Daily Bread staff of the impact their commitment has on communities throughout Toronto.
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