NEWS RELEASE
CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION
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The Children’s Foundation partners with Market Fresh Guelph to provide food support for families in need Like so many in Guelph-Wellington, the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington is concerned about how best to support the most vulnerable in our community during this unprecedented time of shut-downs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Foundation is especially concerned about the children who rely on food support through their Food & Friends student nutrition program, and has been working hard to find creative ways to provide for their needs. To respond to this emergency, the Children’s Foundation in partnership with Market Fresh Guelph has created a temporary support program called Fresh Food for Kids which will provide nutritious food baskets to local families in need.
At this point, the Foundation is aiming to have at least five baskets per week filled with enough food and supplies for a family of four to five people. Market Fresh will be creating balanced and nutritious food baskets and delivering them to families in need.
“The team at the Children’s Foundation feels socially responsible to go above and beyond our regular programs to help the community we love. At a time when we may be feeling overwhelmed, this partnership makes us feel inspired and grateful. I am excited that we are able to come together with Market Fresh to provide some food support to help those most vulnerable in our community,” says Emma Rogers, Executive Director of the Children’s Foundation.
“It’s been so heartwarming to see the whole community rally together to find positive ways to address needs, and we are so grateful to all the people who have already reached out to us to ask how they can help. We believe this is a great way for people to contribute, knowing their donation will directly impact a family that is struggling right now.”
Families with children already being supported by the Children’s Foundation through their core programs will be eligible to submit a request for a Fresh Food for Kids basket. The Children’s Foundation will be selecting families weekly on a lottery system, with new families being selected each week for the duration of the program.
The Foundation is hopeful that with enough community support it will be able to increase the number of food baskets being delivered. “We estimate that a basket which provides enough food to last a family around a week will cost $200,” says Rogers. “And thanks to the contributions of Market Fresh, those donation dollars will be stretched even further as most of the food can be provided at cost. For those who are in a position to give, any amount will make a difference in providing healthy, nutritious food to families in need.”
Dayle Toscan, owner of Market Fresh, jumped at the chance to partner with the Children’s Foundation for this emergency solution. “The team at Market Fresh is passionate about food and community and really wanted to do whatever we could to help. We know how hard this time is going to be on all of us, but especially for those families who were barely getting by before and relied on programs like Food & Friends to help feed their kids while in school. We’re so happy to do our part to spread some positivity and caring in our community and grateful that the Children’s Foundation has responded so quickly to make this happen.”
To find out how you can donate to the Fresh Food for Kids program, visit the Children’s Foundation website at www.childrensfoundation.org.
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