non-profit organization

Christmas program volunteer drivers gearing up to make deliveries, a man is wearing a hat shaped like a turkey and a high vis jacket, and a woman who also has a turkey hat on is in the background

Requests for holiday dinner support more than double this year says Waterloo Christmas charity

November 15, 2024 by Cora Kuehl

Food insecurity affects 1 in 8 households in the Waterloo Region. With food inflation on the rise and the holidays right around the corner, many families in the region are approaching a very challenging time of the year. The Food Bank of Waterloo Region reported that the demand for food assistance has increased by 25 percent. The holidays come with extra expenses for families and can be quite challenging. Programs like the Waterloo Region Christmas Support Network are doing a part in aiding families and individuals for the holidays.

The Network offers applicants a frozen turkey, and a gift card so they can purchase all the fixings they need to make a holiday dinner. This year, Natanya Wombwell the Christmas Food Program Supervisor with the House of Friendship says the amount of people accessing the website to apply was over twice as many as last year.

Many green and blue bags of food from the food bank lined up.

Cortes Food Bank releases annual report, shows sharp increase in need for food

March 13, 2024 by Louis Belcourt

The Cortes Food Bank has released their annual report for 2023 over the weekend, which shows that it was a very successful year for the Cortes Island Food Bank, but also a highly challenging one.

Over the final months of 2023, the Cortes Food Bank served an average of 80 clients per month, which is almost as many clients as in the whole of 2022: a 616 per cent increase year over year, according to the report.

“We really ramped up promoting the food bank, and immediately we got a response of so many more people. And it was quite scary because we weren’t expecting that big of a rise,” says Filipe Figueira, coordinator and treasurer of the Cortes Food Bank.

“The number of new clients needing help is increasing every single week – from every demographic,”Figueira added.

Listen for more on the food bank’s year in review.

Pictured is a portrait shot of a woman against a black background wearing a long white dress and headscarf.

BlackEstrie strives to create intercultural connections for a diverse and inclusive society

February 21, 2024 by Taylor McClure

Non-profit organization BlackEstrie is shining light on black culture in the Eastern Townships with the goal of building connections between Quebec society and people from diverse backgrounds.

BlackEstrie started off with a Facebook platform that highlighted the work and contributions of black artists, entrepreneurs, and professionals in the region. However, BlackEstrie’s activities have since expanded into a television show called Personne n’en parle, covering topics such as “adoption, toxic relationships, and stereotypes against black people,” said founder Aïssé Touré.

As the mother of three children born in Sherbrooke, Touré explained that when she founded BlackEstrie in 2020 it was important for her that they had “positive role models” to look up to and that they experience the “richness” of African and Caribbean heritage and culture.

Touré noted that she believes BlackEstrie’s work, which also includes socio-cultural activities, helps address racism and “the fear of reaching out to others.”

Requests for holiday dinner support more than double this year says Waterloo Christmas charity

Cortes Food Bank releases annual report, shows sharp increase in need for food

BlackEstrie strives to create intercultural connections for a diverse and inclusive society

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