The Federal Government is continuing to address food insecurity by making a pair of investments to community organizations in the Quinte Region.
MP Neil Ellis made a virtual funding announcement on Wednesday, awarding a total of more than $45,000 to the Gleaners Food Bank and Salvation Army and Tweed Community Ministries.
“Gleaners Food Bank will be receiving $25,000 to achieve its vision of providing a refrigerated transport vehicle to deliver fresh foods. Moreover, the Salvation Army Belleville and Tweed Community Ministries will be receiving $20,384 to provide infrastructure improvements to better provide service to residents on site.”
Gleaners will be retrofitting its current delivery truck and Acting Director of Operations Craig Olivier says that will make deliveries easier and safer, and allow them to expand their reach.
“We deliver to Picton, for example, and the drive out there with the freezer blankets has worked in the past, but will ensure food safety to a much greater extent. Our vision is to be able to offer food services and delivery to people in need, not just in our community, but those just outside of it.”
The Salvation Army’s Connie Goodsell says they’ll be able to provide better service during their regular meal programs by using that money for upgrades to the kitchen area.
The money comes from the $50 million Local Food Infrastructure Fund, which is part of the Liberal Government’s Food Policy for Canada, with Ellis adding that the application window for phase two of the funding, for projects seeking up to $250,000, is now open as well.
