The Guelph Food Bank (GFB) is in the midst of decentralizing its location at 100 Crimea St. so it can act solely as a distribution and food procurement site for its satellite locations.
There are currently eight satellit locations in Guelph.
The plan is to have the switch over fully in place by the end of next year.
Clients would pick up food at the satellite locations, no food would be handed out at the Crimea Street location.
In 2022, GFB started a pilot project to help bring food to communities and neighbourhoods in the city. What prompted this was the pandemic because not everyone could come to one location at the same time.
It’s also for more convenient food access, with closer places to obtain the food from. GFB is trying to build through neighbourhood groups and churches, said Carolyn McLeod-McCarthy, managing director at GFB.
“We would become the food hub in the city,” she said. This way GFB can focus on getting food, through donations, purchasing and “donation partners in order to get enough food into our warehouses in order to distribute to feed our network,” she continued.
The GFB satellite locations are; Brant Avenue Neighbourhood Group, Grange Hill East Neighbourhood Group. Parkwood Gardens Neighbourhood Group, Two Rivers Neighbourhood Group, West Willow Village, Dovercliffe Park Community Food Cupboard, 7 Christopher Ct. which is a non-profit housing corporation, and Anishnabeg Outreach which is an organization based in Kitchener but has a location in Guelph.
“You do see an increase at the satellite locations because of accessibility,” said McLeod-McCarthy. There are about 4,000 people accessing the food bank and its satellite locations every month and the numbers are growing.
Part of the increase McLeod-McCarthy points to is because of a ripple effect from the pandemic where people became impacted by the cost of housing and rent going up.
People are still able to get food from the GFB location at 100 Crimea St. if their postal codes are not within neighbourhoods with a satellite location, indicated on the website with a colour coded map for GFB pick-up zones.
Those with postal codes in GFB pick-up areas are referred to those locations so they can get food there the next time they need some. McLeod-McCarthy made it clear people will get the same amount of food at the satellite locations that they do at the GFB location.
When GFB receives its order forms, if it doesn’t have enough to supply its whole network, the supply isn’t sent out until it does have enough. This is what McLeod-McCarthy calls equity in food distribution.
GFB relies a lot on the community for donations so it can help support the community and McLeod-McCarthy asks the donations to keep coming. On Nov. 23 GFB will have a toy sale and silent auction at 100 Crimea St. from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The plan is to expand, hopefully adding three additional satellite locations by the end of 2025. The hope is to find more spaces in other areas of Guelph like the north end to distribute food. McLeod-McCarthy asks anyone interested in partnering with them to get in contact.
GFB provides food, shelving, fridges and freezers for the locations.
Some spots already had existing food pantries and provided non-perishable food items but with GFB coming in, things like fruits and vegetables can be provided because of the fridges and freezers.
As the network grows GFB plans to “take on the burden of finding volunteers to help staff the locations,” said McLeod-McCarthy. This could also help the locations expand operating hours since it's up to the locations to choose the dates and times to operate.
The Store by GFB opened last year and sells both new and used clothing with prices comparable to some thrift stores. It will still exist at 100 Crimea St. and it plans to expand its offerings.
