Our Mission

The Mission of the Parkdale Food Bank

The work of a food bank is to provide nutritional support to those in the society who, through unemployment, disability or economic marginalization are unable to meet all of their dietary needs.

Beyond the provision of food, the Parkdale Community Food Bank must be a place of dignity, safety, respite and repose, where participants are made to feel that they are respected members of a community of mutual support. They share their gifts, and the resources available to them, based on their need, and according to their abilities. Members are encouraged to participate in the work through volunteerism, in an accepting and non-judgemental manner. By the contribution of each member to the other, we seek to lift each other up.

The food bank seeks to empower the broader community to contribute to the work, and to support the philosophy, and shape the destiny of the organization. By bringing supporters together, we hope to encourage greater commitment to the principles of social justice in the community at large.

When possible, and appropriate within the circumstances of the food bank, the food bank may arrange for the provision of additional services with the goals of the empowerment and well being of its members.

Finally, the food bank advocates, in a non-partisan and constructive fashion, for the concerns of the poor and the elimination of poverty.

About Parkdale Community Food Bank

PCFB serves up to 4,000 people per month, giving out between 3 1/2 and 5 tons of food per week. We are completely staffed by over fifty dedicated volunteers.

We strive to make the food bank a place of welcome and inclusion. With a budget of $120k, $14k of which is dedicated to food purchases, we distribute an estimated $500k in food per year.

We incur minimal external fund raising costs, and must raise all of our funding ourselves. Food banks receive no funding from any level of government.

We strive to make the food bank a place of mutual support and see a role in helping people to re-integrate economically into society. Volunteerism at the food bank has been a stepping stone for many of our clients who become volunteers  and move on to gainful employment.

We offer basic advocacy services to our members in the areas of housing, social services and abuse. We intend to expand these services in the near future.

Where possible, we aid other non-profits and groups in meeting their goals.