Over $468,000 is going to help bring food to families in the region.

The money is coming from the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board, through its annual Community Homelessness Prevention Initiatives Food Security Fund.

It’s supporting over a dozen organizations, including $55,000 to Our Kids Count, $80,000 to Shelter House’s food service program, and $50,000 each to the Rural Cupboard Food Bank and the Regional Food Distribution Association.

The program is giving out more than $100,000 more than last year.

The full list of recipients is below.

Elizabeth Fry Society of Northwestern Ontario, to alleviate the stress that food insecurity has on the lives of street involved and criminalized women through the continuation and expansion of the Barrier Free Food Bags project in Thunder Bay.

$26,610

Evergreen a United Neighbourhood, to support the Evergreen Feeding Program by providing take-out meals twice a week to vulnerable and at-risk individuals and families in the Simpson/Ogden area of Thunder Bay.

$5,000

Geraldton Family Resource Centre, to provide a drop-in food hamper program supplying food security needs to the homeless and at-risk women and their dependents.

$20,050

Marathon Community Collective for the Assistance of the Needy, to purchase and provide grocery cards to clients once per month.

$8,500

Marjorie House, to have food available for women connected with the shelter and to provide pre-made food security baskets to be offered to other service providers for emergency use in Marathon and surrounding areas.

$12,890

North Shore Harvest Cupboard, to deliver a food security program  in Schreiber, Terrace Bay and Rossport providing healthy canned, dry and packaged food as well as gift cards to enable clients to purchase fresh and frozen food.

$28,000

NorWest Community Health Centres, to deliver emergency food hampers and prepared foods to client homes within the City of Thunder Bay.  Emergency food bags/backpacks will be delivered to client homes in Armstrong and Longlac.  Snack bags will be provided to Outreach and Path 525 clients in Thunder Bay.

$21,150

Our Kids Count, to provide meals and increase access to food for low income, high-risk & homeless individuals, children and families in Thunder Bay.

$55,000

Regional Food Distribution Association, to bring shipments of fresh produce from committed partners in Southern Ontario to the District of Thunder Bay.

$50,000

Roots to Harvest, to provide improved food access, food skills and advocacy around the issues that impact food insecurity and to expand service to include regular community meals, and a weekly affordable food market in Thunder Bay.

$12,792

Rural Cupboard Food Bank, to purchase and distribute food and necessity hampers to those in need in the six rural Lakehead municipalities and the unincorporated areas.

$50,000

Salvation Army Thunder Bay (Breakfast Program), to provide healthy breakfasts and snacks on school days to students at St. James Elementary School in Thunder Bay.

$12,750

Salvation Army Thunder Bay (Soup Van), to serve hot meals every evening to those in need at 2 locations in Thunder Bay (North and South).

$18,350

Shelter House Thunder Bay, to continue and expand the food service program providing clients with nutritious and varied meals and continuous access to food 7 days a week.

$80,000

St. Andrew’s Soup Kitchen (Dew Drop Inn), to continue to provide 2 meal options to individuals 7 days per week and to purchase supplies in Thunder Bay.

$9,589

Urban Abbey, to continue to provide a warm meal and additional food upon request to 40 individuals per day in Thunder Bay.

$57,600

TOTAL

$468,281