Chamber helps community raise 3,845 pounds for Feed the Need in Durham

For the entire month of August, the Whitby Chamber of Commerce (WCC) teamed up with Feed the Need in Durham for the third annual Food Drive Challenge to help meet the growing demand of emergency food providers and client needs at Feed the Need during the summer months.

This year’s member drop off locations included Bryson Insurance, D.I.S. Financial Group, Dive Source, Eggsmart Whitby Shores, Great Canadian Meat Company Inc., Kake Kreations and Lotus Home Interiors.

Looking to broaden the program, the WCC increased the number of drop off locations and turned to neighbouring chambers and boards of trade to join in on the challenge, including the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, Ajax Pickering Board of Trade and Clarington Board of Trade.

“So much of business networking is about getting to know other businesses on a surface level,” said Kyle Paterson, Director of Operational Analytics at Bryson Insurance. “When we can do something together as a community that makes a difference, it shifts the conversation.”

With the help of the seven member drop off locations and fellow chambers and boards of trade, the initiative surpassed the 3,000 pound goal doubling the amount from previous years.

“Seeing what is possible when we work together is beautiful,” said Paterson. “I look forward to continuing to expand the results we can generate as a business community.”

In June of 2014, Feed the Need moved into their 10,000-square-foot distribution centre in Oshawa. With the help of 50 regular community volunteers and more than 200 corporate and special occasion volunteers, they provide over 130,000 pounds of food per month to emergency food providers such as food banks, soup kitchens, shelters and community service centres.

“The need is there all year round and we can’t do it without our partners,” said Ben Earle, Executive Director of Feed the Need in Durham.

Help Feed the Need raise awareness about hunger in our community at their Push Against Hunger Event on Monday, September 18 in partnership with the Town of Whitby, City of Oshawa and Region of Durham Headquarters.