In September 1989 the Eden Food Bank was established as a facility in North West Mississauga that could provide assistance to people who were in an emergency situation due to unforeseen circumstances, such as layoffs, sudden disabilities or unexpected bills. We first opened our doors on Monday April 9, 1990. Initially there were only 5 families a week utilizing our services, but as more agencies and people became aware of our service, the number of families served escalated rapidly. Eden Food Bank was incorporated as a non-profit charity on January 11, 2002, with a Board of up to 10 Directors from the community. On our 20th anniversary, we estabished our 2nd client center on Unity Drive in September 2009.
Usage of the food bank continues to rise. We have provided emergency food to:
| Month | Families | People | New Families | LB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2012 | 424 | 1,260 | 36 | 30,381 |
| Dec 2011 | 620 | 1,852 | 69 | 46,859 |
| Nov 2011 | 436 | 1,336 | 68 | 32,165 |
| Oct 2011 | 405 | 1,217 | 52 | 33,096 |
| Sep 2011 | 358 | 1,077 | 40 | 26,774 |
| Aug 2011 | 352 | 1,041 | 40 | 28,464 |
| July 2011 | 313 | 915 | 29 | 21,704 |
| June 2011 | 356 | 1,036 | 37 | 23,615 |
| May 2011 | 395 | 1,186 | 40 | 25,675 |
| Apr 2011 | 397 | 1,262 | 28 | 25,297 |
| Mar 2011 | 454 | 1,431 | 46 | 26,913 |
| Feb 2011 | 412 | 1,261 | 46 | 26,180 |
| Jan 2011 | 413 | 1,278 | 47 | 26,887 |
2008 Profile of Hunger in Peel and the GTA
Each February and March, Daily Bread conducts an annual survey of food recipients in about 45 member agencies and the following are profiles gathered from the 2008 survey:
| Key Statistics for Peel vs. GTA | Peel | GTA |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of Hunger | ||
| % that have used food banks for more than 1 year | 39% | 44% |
| % of children who go hungry at least once a week | 12% | 13% |
| % of adults who go hungry at least once per week | 27% | 33% |
| Hunger: The Cost of Living | ||
| Median Monthly Household Income | $1,200 | $967 |
| Median Market Value Rent Paid | $988 | $765 |
| % of income spent on rent (market rent only) | 82% | 77% |
| % who live in subsidized housing | 20% | 28% |
| % who receive Ontario Works | 36% | 52% |
| Median Market Value Rent Paid | $988 | $765 |
| Children | ||
| % of clients who are children | 46% | 34% |
| % of households who are caring for children | 69% | 40% |
| % of those who have been prevented from working due to cost and/or access to children |
43% | 44% |
| Working Poor | ||
| % of households who have at least one person working | 45% | 28% |
| % earning between $8.25 and $10.00 per hour | 29% | 36% |
| Median hours of work per week | 36 | 25 |
| People with disabilities | ||
| % who have disability or illness | 27% | 47% |
| % of clients receiving ODSP or CPP-D | 42% | 52% |
| Immigrants | ||
| % born outside Canada | 57% | 46% |
Advocacy
At Eden Food Bank we realize that the issues facing our clients are much larger than just the need for food. Our amazing team of trained, volunteer advocates are available 3x week to offer support to our clients in the form of referrals, information, advice, and even just to talk! The advocacy program's goal is to empower our clients to ultimately become less dependent on the food bank.
Depending on the client's needs, advocates can provide information and referrals for such issues as:
- Employment Search
- Housing and housing-related issues
- Newcomer Settlement
- ESL Classes
- Community Legal Clinics
- Ontario Works
- Ontario Disability Support Program
- Employment Insurance
- Violence and Abuse
- Prenatal Care
- Child Welfare
- Clothing
- Furniture
- Health