Food Banks Canada is Appealing to Canadians to Support Food Banks During #EveryPlateFull Campaign

Food Banks Canada

Food banks across the country are raising food and funds to ensure shelves are stocked for the summer

TORONTO, May 2, 2016 /CNW/ - In its second year, the #EveryPlateFull campaign, is once again urging Canadians to address the 26,548,725 summer meal gap that is facing Canadians struggling with hunger.  During the month of May, over 120 food organizations are raising much needed food and funds to ensure shelves are full during the summer months.

Food donations are at their lowest from June to August, and food assistance organizations find their shelves often close to empty at a time when the need doesn't diminish. The #EveryPlateFull campaign aims to raise awareness of the continued need for support while asking Canadians to help raise the food and funds that food banks and provincial food bank organizations need to get them through this challenging period.

"Over 918,000 men, women and children will have a really difficult time accessing enough food during the summer months," says Pam Jolliffe, Executive Director, Food Banks Canada. "In turn, food banks will also find themselves under strain to meet the need as food bank shelves slowly get bare."

To show support for Canada's hungry and raise awareness of this campaign, Food Banks Canada is asking Canadians to support their local food bank in a number of ways:

• Spread the word on social media using #EveryPlateFull
• Start a campaign page at www.everyplatefull.ca to encourage donations from friends, family and peers
• Make a monetary donation through www.everyplatefull.ca to a participating food bank or provincial food bank association.

"The summer is a particularly difficult time for families living with food insecurity as school based meal programs take a break for the holidays often leaving families with fewer supports," says Ryan Noble of North York Harvest Food in Toronto. "We want to ensure that our food bank can meet the need of our community and being prepared for the summer will allow us to do that."

About Every Plate Full
Every Plate Full (everyplatefull.ca) held its inaugural year in 2015 with the goal of raising much needed food and funds for food banks to cover the summer months.  The summer is a time when shelves often go bare when over 918,000 are struggling to put food on the table. 

About Food Banks Canada
Food Banks Canada is the national charitable organization representing and supporting the food bank community across all of Canada. Our network of 550 food banks support 85 per cent of people turning to food banks help. Together, we strive to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow. Visit foodbankscanada.ca for more information.

SOURCE Food Banks Canada

Image with caption: "#EveryPlateFull (CNW Group/Food Banks Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160502_C8813_PHOTO_EN_679090.jpg

Sonia Prashar, spPR, [email protected], [phone]; Marzena Gersho, Food Banks Canada, [email protected], [phone], [phone] x228