A Porch Food Drive Launches As Peterborough Rallies Behind Kawartha Food Share

A citywide food drive to restock the dwindling shelves at Kawartha Food Share has begun.

On Monday, March 23rd starting at 9 a.m., citizens throughout Peterborough (not Peterborough County at this time) are asked to leave a bag of non-perishable food items on their front porch to be picked up by volunteers.

This ask is made of anyone who is not ill or in self-isolation to leave a bag of non-perishable food items on your front porch that morning. Beginning at 9 a.m., volunteers will drive around the city and collect the items, and deliver them to the warehouse.

Kawartha Food Share

The shelves at Kawartha Food Share are perilously low, and need to be restocked for those in need. Many people have stocked their pantries with ample stores of canned goods and washrooms with excess rolls of toilet paper. The idea is if we all give one bag back, we’ll be doing a little bit that will go a long way.

WHAT ORGANIZERS NEED

Please place one or two rolls of toilet paper in a ziplock bag if you have one, or another bag that keeps it separate. Add the TP to a larger bag of canned goods. Leave it at your door and volunteers will do the rest!

Helpful Items Include:

·      Canned tuna

·      Pasta and pasta sauce

·      Alphagetti, Kraft Dinner and Chef Boyardee, (things that are easy and that kids like)

·      Breakfast cereal – a lot of children will be without school breakfast programs for the foreseeable future

·      Peanut Butter – there are currently zero jars on the shelf

·      Any non-perishable fruit and vegetable items

·      Rice

·      Canned soup/stew

·      Feminine hygiene products

·      Baby formula

Kawartha Food Share

Consider Donating An Old Cellphone

 If you have an unused cellphone with a charger that you could donate, that would also be helpful. Greenwood Coalition is distributing cell phones to our vulnerable neighbours to keep an open channel of communication with people most in need.

As public buildings have closed, access to computers, internet and information is limited for many people. If we can provide a person with a free phone so they can text service providers (through free wifi), it is an important first step in making sure our neighbours are safe. If you can help, please leave the phone and charger in the donation bag and we’ll make sure it gets to Greenwood Coalition.

 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

* Our fellow citizens need to eat, we cannot abandon them. This method limits exposure for all, but still meets the needs of our most vulnerable.

* It is safer than shopping at a grocery store. There will be no face-to-face contact between those donating and those picking up.

* Volunteers will be on their own in their own vehicles. They will be wearing gloves and will observe all necessary and suggested safety protocols.

* The warehouse is empty of agencies on Monday afternoon. There will be limited staff to accept the donations.

*  If you are ill, please do not leave a bag outside of your home.

* Putting the toilet paper inside a ziplock bag minimizes touching of the product.

* This method limits the number of visitors to the Food Share warehouse, thus limiting exposure.

If you’re self-isolating, you can donate online here. If you’re a business and want to help for larger donations email here to arrange for a bulk pick up.

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