The St. Vincent Place food bank shelves are once again well-stocked with cans of soup.
It was reported in mid-August that the centre’s food bank had run out of soup for probably the first time ever and that 500 cans were needed as soon as possible.
Thanks to community response, that situation has been fixed.
“We ended up getting over 5,000 cans after word got out that we were short,” Sara McCleary, St. Vincent Place marketing manager, told SooToday.
“Mike Moore Construction coordinated with other local businesses and they each brought in about $500 worth of cans. We definitely got plenty from individuals as well. In August and September we received 5,116 cans of soup.”
This year’s annual St. Vincent Place Big Blue Food Drive – which took place Saturday, Sept. 27 – was a huge source of additional help.
“It was one of our best Big Blue Food Drives ever. We ended up bringing in about $53,000 worth of food. That was another pleasant thing," McCleary said.
"We weren't really sure what to expect this year with everyone struggling at this point and the cost of food going up but this community always steps up.”
McCleary believes sending soup out in every package means the need stays steady for that staple throughout the year.
"Our door bell rings every time people come with donations and it was ringing non-stop for a couple of weeks after we announced we were in need of soup.”
St. Vincent Place is a food bank, soup kitchen, thrift store and men's transitional residence located on Albert Street East.
The St. Vincent Place food bank is open from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
The soup kitchen is open for clients during those same hours on a takeout basis.
While the centre’s soup crisis was eased, McCleary said the need to feed the community’s hungry remains and donations of soup and other non-perishable food items are always welcome.