Regional Food Distribution Association Will Hold “ The Art of Giving”Gala Fundraiser
by Scott A. Sumner
www.thunderbaybusiness.ca
When a tractor trailer unit comes up to the Regional Food Distribution Association at 704 Mckenzie there are a lot of hands needed to unload the vitally needed food to be distributed to 28 food banks and feeding programs in the region. In fact the RFDA covers the area form Marathon to Dryden including Thunder Bay.
“ The regional food distribution association is a food bank for food banks. We are a regional association representing the Ontario Food Banks Association and Canadian Food Bank and get food shipped here from Southern Ontario and the manufacturers there.There is also local
stores, local donations, food drives and the local growers a re becoming very popular for fresh produce that they provide,” said Volker Kromm, Executive Director of the RDFA.
This year for the second time after a great success last year “ The Art of Giving Gala “ will be held at Badanai Motors in Thunder Bay. “ We had local artists submit their art work to go on 5 greeting cards. The greeting cards are then sold. The proceeds goes directly for buying
food. There will also be tickets available at $40 to attend the Gala to be held September 23rd. All the artwork donated is going to be auctioned off in a live auction. We also are having a silent auction. Local caterers are donating their time and food so it’s going to be a big event,” said Marilyn Chicoine, Chair of “ The Art of Giving” Committee. “ It was sold out last year and we anticipate it being sold out again this year. The cards will be available in September for
sale. There is a cash bar and anticipate we will make more than the $15,000 we made last year. We want the “ Art of Giving “ to be as well known in Thunder Bay as Toys for Tots for example so people come on board as soon as possible. Just purchasing a package of 5 cards will feed a family of 4 for a day.”
“ The funds raised are very significant as every year the demand has been growing. Every year we have seen increases especially this year in the region. We have agencies in Schrieber, Terrace Bay, Marathon, Kakakabeka Falls, Dryden, Ignace and Geraldton. In Thunder Bay there
are 21 feeding programs.” said Volker Kromm.
“ It helps us to provide more quality food and touchs more families than ever before. People thought they were immune from needing food banks but someone in their family is using the service. Many people in this day and age live pay cheque to pay cheque and through no fault of
their own there is no more pay cheque. Unemployment Benefits are gone so it is a problem and they don’t know where to turn.” said Marilyn Chicoine.
The current RDFA building is an old navy hall but they are moving to the Old Diamond Bingo Hall which once was a A & P store. The current facility has 1800 square feet of holding space for food or about 70 pallets. The new facility will hold 175 pallets of food and have a
cooler and freezer which is much needed. “ This building would be the last place I would pick for a food distribution centre. The new facility will allow for mechanical devices to help us unload the food. It will be 15,000 square feet in size and have some office space and a
commercial kitchen where we will be able to micro process food. Using the large walk in freezers we can flash freeze food and take it out when needed. We can also make soups and stews and give them out when needed. We can’t do that now so it will magnify what we can provide,” said Kromm.
“ The building is out for tender and construction will start by mid August to retrofit to meet all the codes. We are insulating it so it is energy efficient. We want to have a facility that is cost effective to run. This new building will also help us to visualize what we do. It will provide training opportunities for people say in the commercial kitchen. It is meant to be a facility that gives hope and confidence for the future. We have the funding is place for the building.”
The Art of Giving Gala is all done by volunteers. “ We are so thankful for the volunteers. We had a whole truck come in this morning and it was all unloaded by volunteers. We only have two full time staff. We have tremendous volunteer support. They bring skills that were instrumental in their own careers and life experiences,” said Larry Brigham, President of the RFDA. “ We did not ask the public for any money for the building but went to governments, foundations as well as the Rotary club. The Paterson Foundation were the first to help us
out. The citizens come forward with the food each year and we ask them for that only.”
The value of foods distributed at the RFDA is over $700,000 per year and the demand is growing. “ There are food banks that are closed this time of year because there isn't enough food. I can think of three food banks in the last week. They have reported a doubling of their
hampers put out. The demand is very high this time of year,"said Larry Brigham. “ Anybody who has a need for food is welcome to go to a food bank and ask for assistance and will be helped as best they can. If you look at statistics 40% of the people getting the food is for children
and that is very significant in our mind.In the month of March we do indepth statistics and found that we served 7400 people with hampers and 19,000 meals with the food banks in our organization.”
For further information on the “ The Art of Giving Gala” contact
622-7440
