Local food banks have an ongoing need for food donations such as canned goods and other types of food staples to feed individuals and families who do not have enough to eat. Many local food banks can also use additional volunteer support to help manage their programs.
Food banks in Canada are challenged to keep up with the overwhelming need among Canadians who may have have lost a job and never imagined that they would ever have to ask for help. Many hungry individuals and families may also be too embarrassed by the stigma that's attached to going to a food bank and they don't know how to reach out for help. Creating awareness is key.
Local food banks get a free place page on LocalHood.ca that will help the food bank grow its web presence. The LocalHood.ca place page lists the name of the food bank, its location information including a map and other contact information. The food bank can also post a detailed description about its services, its mission statement and its needs.
According to Wilf Barnes, a spokesperson for LocalHood.ca, the listing is primarily intended to create community awareness for local food banks as a resource for people in crisis. Barnes commented that "...providing a food bank with a place page on LocalHood.ca creates another digital footprint on the web for a neighbourhood food bank to get its message out to the community."
People who do not have enough to eat may not have access to the web but the people who can support the food bank do. "People who can offer a helping hand with donations of food or by volunteering may not be aware of the needs, or even the existence, of their neighbourhood food bank." says Barnes. "A better web presence can make the food bank more discoverable by folks searching and surfing on the web and who may want to help once they learn of the cause."
According to its 2011 profile of hunger from the Daily Bread Foodbank "For most people, food bank use is a temporary measure to help manage difficult financial periods so they can still eat while trying to pay the rent. These periods can include sudden job loss or reduction in hours of work, a sudden injury or illness, or being new to the country and not being able to work."
The news comes over a holiday weekend in Canada. The Canadian Thanksgiving holiday is on a Monday but people might eat their Thanksgiving dinner on any day of the three-day weekend with Sunday and Monday being the most common days to feast.
While Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated with a large family meal, it is also a time of need for individuals and families that may be without the financial means to have an adequate meal let alone a festive family feast.
About LocalHood.ca:
LocalHood.ca is a national Canadian directory that is in a state of beta release. The site is building out and testing new business categories and onsite functionality before its official launch which is projected to be sometime in early 2012. When the site officially launches, data sets of location based information from across Canada will be added to populate the directory. The directory will also feature a unique distribution model creating opportunity for local and regional resellers.
"LocalHood" is a LocalHood Marketing trade mark. For more information, go to LocalHood.ca. Questions can be directed to (289) 752-7335 or toll free 1-888-975-9222 email: info(at)localhood(dot)ca
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