MEDIA RELEASE: Trent Lakes municipal office now accepting donations on behalf of local food bank

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Trent Lakes municipal office now accepting donations on behalf of local food bank

March 7, 2023 [TRENT LAKES, ON] - The Municipality of Trent Lakes and the Trent Lakes Outreach Centre Food Bank have partnered to create a second donation drop off location in the area. Visitors can now bring donations to the municipal office anytime during its regular business hours.

Eligible food products include non-perishable canned meat, vegetables, pasta, pet food and water bottles. In addition to food, hygiene products, cleaning products and laundry products are also accepted.

For monetary donations, debit and cash are accepted at the front counter of the municipality, or cheques made payable to Trent Lakes Outreach Centre.

The drop off location is located in the front foyer of the office, a high traffic area where residents stop in for municipal inquiries.

"Having a food bank drop off at the municipal office is absolutely wonderful and complements our drop off at the Buckhorn Community Centre,” says Peter Raymond, Chair of the Trent Lakes Outreach Centre Foodbank. “A special thank you to the very supportive municipal staff for all their time & energy in facilitating this arrangement and also a big shout out to a caring Trent Lakes citizen that submitted the suggestion to the municipality that was graciously acted upon. We are truly a caring community."

According to Feed Ontario’s 2022 Hunger Report, the need for food banks and donations continue to rise. Fast statistics from the report include: 

• 2 out of 3 food bank visitors have less than $100 left after paying their housing costs each month.

• 2 out of 3 food banks have experienced a noticeable decrease in food donations.

• 1 out of 5 food banks have not been able to purchase the same volume of food as before due to higher food prices.

• 2022 saw a 24% increase in the number of people accessing food banks compared to 2021.

Donations will be picked up by volunteers and distributed along with other donations at Lakehurst Hall once a month. The Trent Lakes Outreach Centre is currently the main food bank within Trent Lakes, although residents are also welcome to use the Kinmount & Area Food Bank which serves both Kawartha Lakes and Trent Lakes.

“After a resident made the suggestion to allow donations at the municipal office, we were more than happy to work with the centre to accommodate the request,” says Donna Teggart, CAO/Treasurer for the Municipality of Trent Lakes. “We are always looking for ways to increase support in the community.”

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Contact:

Bianca Dragicevic

Legislative Coordinator / Executive Assistant to the CAO

Municipality of Trent Lakes

705-738-3800 ext. 245

bdragicevic@trentlakes.ca 

Trent Lakes Outreach Centre Food Bank

Phone: 705-768-3590

About the Municipality of Trent Lakes

The Municipality of Trent Lakes is located in the Northwest corner of the County of Peterborough. Many residents choose to live here for affordable housing and a safe quality of lifestyle. Trent Lakes has a balance of small residential and rural areas with a beautiful natural heritage of forests, rivers and lakes, and an abundance of Crown lands. Excellent recreational activities, an appealing assortment of restaurants, small businesses and a great sense of community is what makes Trent Lakes particularly special. Visit https://www.trentlakes.ca/

About Trent Lakes Outreach Centre Food Bank

Trent Lakes Outreach Centre (TLOC) runs a year round food bank once a month. The food bank is run entirely by volunteers, and accepts both food and financial donations. The centre is a member agency of Kawartha Food Share which they receive food supplies from for distributing to clients. To learn more about Trent Lakes Outreach Centre Food Bank visit https://tlocfoodbank.wordpress.com/. Follow the Centre’s new Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090589444206.