Jeff Green | Nov 18, 2015


Stretching resources to the limit

Kim Cucoch, the President of the North Frontenac Food Bank (NFFB), says that demand for food has hit an all-time high, and the small food bank is struggling to keep their own cupboard from being bare.

“Our demand is up by over 55% this year, and ever since the beginning of October it has been even busier, and the increase is coming mostly from senior's,” Cucoch said, when interviewed earlier this week.

The number of NFFB users who receive Canada Pension Plan (CPP) or Ontario Aged Security (OAS) benefits is up by 110% this year.

20% of Food Bank users are senior's, about 50% are on a disability pension or Ontario Works, and the other 30% are employed on a full or part-time basis.

There are just over 3,000 households in the catchment area of the NFFB,

The North Frontenac Food Bank uses criteria for eligibility that are set by the Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB). They calculate the monthly income of applicants, subtract heat, hydro, rent and phone costs and look at how much is left and how many people there are in the family to determine eligibility.

Although food is distributed twice weekly, on Tuesday and Friday mornings, each family can only use the Food Bank once a month.

“The Food Bank is not a grocery store. We provide one week's worth of groceries for a family to help them get by. They are on their own for the rest of the month,” Cucoch said.

The North Frontenac Food Bank serves families from Godfrey north to Plevna, and Maberly west to Arden, but all recipients need to pick up their food at the depot in Sharbot Lake, in the courtyard behind 1095 Garrett Street.

406 baskets of food, most of them family sized, have been handed out this year, and Cucoch expects the number will easily hit 450 or more by the end of the year. 44 went out in October, the most ever, and November is at 38 with two weeks left in the month.

The total for all of 2014 was 289.

“The thing that worries me most is that we have $5,000 in the bank right now, which will only get us through until Christmas. After that we could be in trouble,” she said.

While the Food Bank accepts donated food, they purchase fresh fruit and vegetables and meat on Tuesday and Friday mornings, and monetary donations are required to keep them afloat.

“We do receive some small grants and we get food from the OAFB but for the most part we depend on donations to get by,” said Cucoch.

The North Frontenac Food Bank is a registered charity and gives out tax receipts for donations over $10. The Food Bank has about 20 volunteers.

At the Festival of Trees in Sharbot Lake food and donations are accepted at the door as a voluntary admission, and the Food bank is also a partner in the Christmas Dinner that takes place in Sharbot Lake each year, but right now they are appealing for support directly to the public as the Christmas season gets underway.

The best ways to reach the Food Bank for those who require food or those would like to donate are by phone at 613-532-8855 (voice message only) or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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