With one in ten Torontonians now relying on food banks, we could not be more grateful to announce that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has donated a transformational $2 million to Daily Bread Food Bank. Our CEO, Neil Hetherington, made the announcement Monday morning before a group of volunteers, staff, politicians and local leaders from the Church.
“We just want to thank the Church,” Neil said. “Two million dollars. That means some two million meals out to the community. That means we can purchase two new trucks that will allow us to make sure that every Torontonian can have access to decent, wonderful food.”
This donation — the largest financial gift the Church of Jesus Christ has ever made in Canada — comes at a time when food bank visits have climbed to alarming new heights. We are now seeing up to 350,000 client visits per month compared to about 65,000 pre-pandemic, and our annual food spend has shot up to keep pace. That’s why we are so thankful for this generous donation. These much-needed funds will help us improve our transportation fleet and put food on tables now while we advocate for policy changes to end hunger in the future.
“It’s going to be a game changer, it’s going to be a life changer,” said MP James Maloney, Etobicoke-Lakeshore, who spoke at the event alongside MPP Christine Hogarth and Deputy Mayor Amber Morley, together representing all three levels of government. “So, on behalf of everybody here, and everybody who unfortunately needs the services of the Daily Bread Food Bank, thank you, thank you, thank you.”
A few Church leaders saw the impact of their donation firsthand by sorting nearly a thousand pounds of food on-site and making food deliveries with Daily Bread trucks. “Having that experience of being out on the road with a driver, getting my hands a little dirty — it was a very uplifting experience for me,” said Rich Ternieden, the Church’s Communication Director for Ontario. “It gave me the opportunity to see the dollars at work.”
Thank you so much to the Church for partnering with us in the fight against hunger. Your generosity will help ensure everyone in Toronto can access nutritious, culturally appropriate food.
“Our motivation is out of service to others and helping those in need, and really following our Christian convictions to do so,” said Elder David LaFrance, an Area Seventy for the Church of Jesus Christ in Ontario. “We really are grateful for the wonderful work that’s done here at Daily Bread.”
Join us in our mission to end hunger and poverty in Toronto by donating today.
