As a network leader of over 60 food programs, Food Banks Mississauga not only provides food to all members of our network but also opportunities for growth and development. One of these is the Capacity Building Fund, which is awarded to select agency members to enhance food bank visitors’ experience, collect data, or purchase appropriate equipment.
In 2024, 14 food programs in our network received a total of almost $50,000 through the Capacity Building Fund. The funding was used to purchase new equipment such as fridges and shelves to help with safe food storage as well as administrative equipment such as laptops to help streamline the process for food bank visitors, volunteers and staff.
Here are some highlights of what our agency members were able to purchase to better serve our neighbours facing food insecurity!
Fridges & Freezers
Fridges and freezers are two of the most requested items in Capacity Building Fund applications. Safe food storage is paramount for all our agency members and additional cold storage means that they can provide more fresh food to food bank visitors.
One of the cupboards in our network, Britannia Glen Co-operative Homes, was able to purchase an upright freezer:
“The larger freezer gives us more space to keep food in a safe place for our members. And we are able to separate halal products by having this larger unit.”
Fruitful Communities share how their new freezer supports with increasing choices for food bank visitors:
“The positive feedback we receive from our clients is that we now have meat items for each serving rather than how we were sporadically serving proteins.”
A volunteer from Living Water Arab Christian Centre shares how the new commercial fridge helps with reducing food waste:
“I am so grateful that we can store refrigerated and frozen goods safely without worrying about spoilage before providing them to clients.”
Left to right: Britannia Glen Co-operative Homes, Fruitful Communities, Living Water Arab Christian Centre, Malton Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Shelving
An item such as new shelves may not seem as if it would make a large impact but for our agency members who may operate in tighter spaces, shelving makes all the difference in how efficiently they can serve food bank visitors and in how visitors can receive dignified service.
A food bank visitor at Living Water Arab Christian Centre shares:
“With the items neatly displayed on the shelves, shopping has become easier and more enjoyable.”
The University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union shares:
“We successfully increased the number of events, such as free food giveaways, to better address food insecurity on campus. During peak times of the year, we were able to expand the capacity of our events thanks to the provided funds… Additionally, the shelving we acquired created more space in the food center, allowing for a larger variety and quantity of items to be available for students.”
Laptops and stoves and microwaves – oh my!
The agency members in our network vary in size which also means that the number of full and part-time staff and volunteers on the team varies. This means that any opportunity to streamline services is taken as we all have to operate with the (unfortunate but necessary) food bank mentality of “doing more with less”. That’s why items such as laptops, stoves and microwaves are game-changers for our agency members.
A new laptop for Tender Mercies Pantry meant that service is streamlined with shorter wait times for food bank visitors and fostered more collaboration between team members:
“The touchscreen interface makes it easier to manage inventory and process client information quickly, which helps streamline operations during busy hours… Overall, the grant has empowered our volunteers with better tools and resources, allowing them to focus more on helping the community rather than dealing with administrative tasks. This fosters a more collaborative environment and ensures that we can serve our clients more effectively.”
One of our neighbourhood food banks, The Salvation Army Collegeway, also shares:
“Having a new computer allowed us to be more efficient as the old one was too slow. The cordless phone allows us to talk to the clients more privately. It makes it easier for us to engage with individuals and families who need support.”
These items are also about more than just being able to provide food to neighbours living with food insecurity. By purchasing an electric range (pictured below), Meadowvale Seventh-Day Adventist Church was able to expand its services and provide more culturally appropriate cooked meals, which has also resulted in food bank visitors feeling a sense of community:
“The Meadowvale team was able to extend the program to host a community lunch for Food Pantry clients and breakfast and lunches for seniors in the community. The team was thanked for providing the much-needed meal program support that gave vulnerable community members a sense of self-worth, community love and friendship. The electric range allows the culinary team to build efficiencies in the preparation and cooking of meals. Additionally, it allowed meals to be prepared at one location in a safe and controlled environment where there could be adequate oversight on food handling and storage practices.”
The addition of an item as simple as a microwave also helps to build community, encouraging students to stop by the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union’s food centre:
“The microwave we purchased in the building reduced wait times for students wanting to warm up their food. This improvement also encouraged more students to visit the food center and learn about the ways we address food insecurity.”
Congratulations to all the recipients of the 2024 Capacity Building Fund!
- Britannia Glen Co-op
- Eden Food for Change
- Fruitful Communities
- Global Family Community Centre
- Living Water Arab Christian Centre
- Malton Seventh Day Adventist Church
- Meadowvale Seventh-Day Adventist Church
- Mississauga Community Services
- St Mary’s Streetsville
- Tender Mercies Pantry
- The Salvation Army Collegeway
- The Compass
- The Dam
- University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union
The support that Food Banks Mississauga provides to their agency network is made possible thanks to the generous contributions of our donors and community – thank you!
Join us today!
Find out how you can get involved to ensure your neighbours experiencing food insecurity have access to nutritious food.
