Welcome to the Guelph Food Bank

Location

100 Crimea St., Unit C12
Guelph, Ontario
N1H 2Y6

PH: 519-767-1380
FX: 519-824-1640
E-mail: gfb@spiritwind.ca

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People Helping People

The Guelph Food Bank (GFB) was established by Spiritwind Christian Centre In 1989.

Through all our various programs, the Guelph Food Bank assisted over 61,900 individuals in the year 2009. Food Bank clients vary in age and ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, but they have one thing in common: they are all faced with financial hardship. Due to illness, short-term crisis, adverse economic conditions, and the ever increasing cost of living, our clients cannot afford to buy the needed groceries to adequately feed themselves and/or their families.

Our goal is not only to help meet the needs of our clients in the short term, but also to help clients become self-sufficient and gain and maintain self-worth / esteem to eventually stand on their own with little or no help from agencies and groups within this community.

For more information, view our information sheet or contact the Guelph Food Bank at 519-767-1380.

Our information sheet is in PDF file format. To view PDF files, you require Adobe Acrobat Reader program installed on your computer.

Download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software

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Calendar of Events

The Guelph Food Bank holds several different types of fundraising and community awareness events throughout the year. The GFB relies solely on the generosity of the community to help others.

Garage Sales / Silent Auctions / BBQ at GFB 100 Crimea Street – on Friday and Saturday

May through September - 8 am to 6 pm rain or shine on dates listed below

Click to view the Spiritwind Center location

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Hours of Operation

We are open Monday to Friday 9 am to 11am to service clients. Excess is available Monday to Friday from 9 am to 12 pm.
Phones are answered Monday to Friday 9 am to 12 pm, after which we regularly check for messages and return phone calls. Our office hours are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

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Rules and Regulations

Anyone faced with financial hardship may apply to the Food Bank for assistance. We are here to help. Clients must be able to show proof of need.

Clients must call 24 hours in advance to book an appointment.

New clients will have to bring:

• 2 pieces of identification
• Proof of address (bills or mail with your name sent to that address)
• Proof of income for you and any other adults in the household (pay stubs, EI cards etc)
• Proof of expenses (rent, mortgage, fixed monthly expenses, etc.)
• Any special dietary needs (baby formula, diapers, allergies, etc)
• Clients may only visit once in a thirty day period.

The food hamper provided should last 10 to 12 days or longer.

NOTE : Food hampers weigh in excess of 100 pounds, depending on the size of the family. Clients must arrange their own transportation to and from 100 Crimea St. Delivery may be arranged in advance with an outside delivery service after personal servicing at the GFB office by the client. Call for details – 519-767-1380.

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Our Programs Helping People

Food Programs

Hamper, Perishable Excess, Community Support, Breakfast Supply, and Local Disaster Relief Programs  

The following are food programs run by or offered at the Guelph Food Bank: Food drives; on-going collections of bins in stores for community support, supply and share programs; direct recovery from manufacturers and distributors; recovery of product across Ontario and Canada though National Food Share Association; OAFB Milk Programs with Milk Marketing Board; food recovery from various retailers, farmers, local suppliers, markets, orchards, U of G, Syngenta Crop Protection, etc.

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Job and Placement Programs

Individual Referral, and Direction for Retraining, Peer Work Programs, Community Service Programs  

Individual referrals and direction for training are given through co-op programs from Upper Grand District School Board and Wellington Catholic District School Board high schools, U of G, and local colleges. Other programs include Summer Career Student placements; Training for New Canadians and Landed Immigrants; and Peer Work Programs to help individuals to assimilate themselves into the regular job force or to simply interact with other people to develop social interaction and work skills. Court-awarded hours through Accord, John Howard Society, and Alternative Measures are also accommodated.

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Help With Skills

Budget, Debt and Credit Counselling, Life Skills Counselling, Referrals For Other Needs, Advocacy on Behalf Of Clients 

The Guelph Food Bank also offers support with services and programs, such as individual or group sessions (follow-up free to clients), nutrition and cooking skills, parenting and childcare skills, housekeeping and basic life skills, information distribution and referral information regarding housing, jobs, government support programs, eg, Health Card, Ombudsman, and assisted housing supports.

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Other Support Programs

Clothing Exchange, Adopt-A-Family, Christmas Program, Community Awareness, Silent Auctions, InkJet and Cell Phone Recycling Program  

The Clothing Exchange provides a means for people in the community to donate and exchange clothing. At Christmas time, the Adopt-A-Family program works to help businesses, families, and individuals give support to families in need. Through various media, the GFB informs the community of current events. Stores, businesses, and individuals may donate their discarded cell phones and/or InkJet cartridges to the GFB: this helps us to raise funds and recycle simultaneously.

Our goal is to see people be self-sufficient, but your help is needed in the interim. We are NOT Government or United Way Funded.

You can help support these programs with a one-time cash donation or ongoing donations by involvement in our Become-A-Partner Program. Download the Become-A-Partner Program form. This form is in PDF file format. To view PDF files, you require Adobe Acrobat Reader program installed on your computer.

Download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software

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Our Volunteers

Without the thousands of volunteer man-hours given in support of the operations of the Guelph Food Bank, food would never reach those who need it.

Some volunteers donate their time on a regular basis, others are on call and ready to appear at food drives or special events, and still others drop in when they have a spare hour or two to help. Volunteers over the age of 10 are welcome, including seniors. We value all of our volunteers for who they are and for their willingness to help tackle any task. We have jobs for all ages and capabilities.

We simply could not operate with our staff of three without the care and dedication of our volunteers.

Volunteers are always needed for the Clothing Exchange and the Warehouse.

If you're interested in volunteering please download the Volunteer form and submit it to the Guelph Food Bank. This form is in PDF file format. To view PDF files, you require Adobe Acrobat Reader program installed on your computer.

Download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software

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How You Can Help

• Donate food / clothing / articles
• Sort and put away donations
• Organize, assist at, or collect for food drives
• Assist at special events like garage sales, gifts wrapping, or auctions
• Become-A-Partner (214 KB PDF file)

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Ways You Can Support Your Community

• Run a food drive at your work place
• Do a fundraiser, eg, BBQ, events
• Donate monthly from your pay
• Have your employer match your funds
• Have a dress-down day
• Become-A-Partner (214 KB PDF file)
• Do a challenge in your company or your division, floor, or department.
• Have your business sponsor an ongoing monthly or yearly cost, eg, Hydro, insurance
• Give-In-Kind donations of merchandise
• Support our summer garage sales and silent auctions
• Adopt-A-Family at Christmas
• Donate new leftover toys from staff or family Christmas parties
• Donate your Zehrs tapes
• Donate Canadian Tire money
• Donate used inkjet cartridges, toners and old cell phones

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