Media Advisory - Fort York Food Bank

TORONTO, Jan. 2, 2018 /CNW/ - The volunteer board of Toronto's Fort York Food Bank provides the following statement in response to commentary on social media that its location lease is being terminated:

"FYFB this month received notice that the lease for its location near Bathurst and Dundas Streets is being terminated and it will have to vacate in two months.

It is disappointing to lose our home, and we know our clients will be upset and worried by this news. However, the volunteer Board is committed to trying to find a new home, temporary or permanent, to ensure it can continue to provide its important services without significant disruption or closure.

As part of this process, it has reached out to local elected officials, BIAs and potential charity partners to assist in identifying potential locations. FYFB welcomes any other assistance from governments, local businesses, developers, or residents to help identify potential locations and/or charitable donations to help defray an anticipated increase in lease expenses.

FYFB is one of the largest local food banks in Toronto, and operates from an approximately 3,000-square foot storefront on Dundas Street west of Bathurst St. It is a Daily Bread Food Bank member agency and serves the catchment area in downtown Toronto from approximately Dovercourt St. to Yonge St., and from Bloor St. to Lake Ontario. It serves a rapidly growing area and while much of the neighbourhoods in the community are gentrifying, there remains a considerable number of vulnerable people who require food bank services to stave off hunger and reconnect with their community.

FYFB serves approximately 1,000 clients every month, 40% of whom are recent immigrants or refugees, 15% are children, and 18% are seniors. Its clients survive on an average of $4 per day after housing costs. It is an important service to the local Chinese community.

The non-denominational charity receives no government funding, employs only one individual and relies on the generous time donated by volunteers, many of whom are former or current clients, to provide its services. It has been rated as one of the most efficient charities in Canada for most of the past decade, with greater than 95% of every donation it receives going towards programs that assist clients in a holistic manner. For several years, Charity Intelligence has rated FYFB as one of Canada's top 10 Impact charities, based on the amount of value created per dollar donated, and it was recently the host of a CBC News event on efficient charitable giving in Canada: https://www.facebook.com/CBCToronto/videos/1396336643804219"

Julie Le Jeune, Co-Chair of FYFB

Donate: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/fort-york-food-bank-fyfb

Canada Charity Registration Number: 867147464 RR0001

SOURCE Fort York Food Bank