| The first annual Special Events Auxiliary Team (SEAT) food drive raised more than $400 for the Campus Food Centre. The food drive held on March 23 and 24 received $230 cash, and more than $200 in non-perishable food donations. Although, donations were lower than the expected goal, organizers are hopeful that next year’s food drive will exceed expectations. “I hope that someone will try to outdo us next year,” said Kevin Patterson, a SEAT team leader for the project. Patterson was one of the creators and organizers of the new initiative to help spread awareness of campus services. The SEAT group traditionally acts as a volunteer security agency as part of its program requirements, so creating a charitable event is sending the team in a new direction. “I hope that someone will continue this program next year,” Patterson said. “We are going to leave a plan for next year if they choose to run the (food drive) again.” However, the problem of diminished donations is far reaching in many other charitable organizations. Other food banks in the community have experienced new challenges with fewer donations and greater demand for services. “This period early in the year donations drop right off,” said Ivan Downey, director of community and family services at the Salvation Army. There has been a 25-per-cent increase in people using the Salvation Army food bank in 2010, and about one third of the new clients have not used the food bank before. This increase was influenced by lost employment in the automotive, retail and food service industries in Oshawa, said Downey. “A lot of those people are those who have recently lost their jobs, because of the downturn in the economy,” Downey said. “We are hoping when the economy starts to pick up they will be on their own again.” The Salvation Army is expecting the need for food bank services will continue to escalate throughout 2010, but a decrease may come the following year. The estimated spike in demand in the coming months will likely be caused by employment insurance benefits running out for countless unemployed workers. When the minimum wage increases in April, many retail and food services workers may experience a cut in hours, said Downey. These factors are having an impact on the substantial fluctuation in the need for food bank assistance. There are also people who rely on the food bank every month like some people on Ontario Works, disability and pensions, which add to the need for help with an aging population in an unstable economy. However, the majority of new clients at the food bank have been single-parent families that use not only the food bank, but also the thrift store and counselling services. “Quantities are really low. We have actually sent trucks to Toronto to get skids of food, because we are really low,” Downey said. Despite so much uncertainty this year officials at the Salvation Army and SEAT organizers maintain a positive outlook for fundraising efforts in the months to come. |
Natalie Finnemore
FOOD DRIVE: Kevin Patterson (left) is the project team leader of SEAT and volunteering is Mike Bernard (right).
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