The Help Cupboard
Some of you would know the Help Cupboard was a ministry started by the Trinity Men’s Group, modeled on something working really well at St. Peter on the Hill in Mississauga. The Help Cupboard has been operating since August 2018, when we learned 25% of Aurora children under 18 were living below the poverty line and we knew we could adapt the St. Peter experience to meet food needs in Aurora.
We became the only 24/7 provider of emergency food in Aurora, and the only provider working on the basis of the honour system. We refill the cupboard every day, and at times given activities in the church like Welcome Table, we fill it twice a day.
We have distributed over 50,000 items in the intervening years. We have asked for and both appreciated and enjoyed the participation of both Trinity Aurora and Aurora United Church parishioners in donating food and money to help us restock. Additionally, we have parishioners helping with the restocking process itself.
What is really gratifying is that our ministry has spawned at least 5 other similar ministries and we have provided them with our experiences to encourage them forward.
Recently we presented the Help Cupboard story to the students at King Christian School and they responded by doing a food drive and bringing that food to Trinity to stock the cupboard. Below is a video of that event:
(Also see the feature story posted on AuroraToday for this very important program)
Today we URGENTLY need to bring to your attention that we are being challenged in maintaining this ministry.
If you have listened to the news recently, you would have heard that the demand for food bank services is at an all-time high. You also know food inflation is raising our costs. Today, to fill the cupboard, is roughly $50 a day even if only basics like pasta and sauce.
At the same time, we have had members move away, and members with medical issues that can’t provide coverage, members that have passed. We need to solve this as the problem in our community is real.
This is an incredibly important ministry and we all can make a difference. The men’s group thanks those who already are supporting the Help Cupboard. We would like you to consider:
o Being one of the daily cupboard stockers if you are not already
o Continuing or becoming a food contributor
o Offering a monetary donation which is treated as a charitable contribution, but please, make it in addition to what you already give to Trinity, not a redirection.
Thank you for your consideration and for any or all of these, please reach out to Doug Leitch for more information.
Thank you again.
Please continue to follow our suggested guidelines:
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Donate with a healthy meal in mind. For example, pasta on its own doesn’t make a meal, but pasta with sauce is a great donation
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For food safety, no opened containers, or repackaged goods, like sandwich bags of food
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Avoid gifting things you wouldn’t eat yourself, or close to expiry/expired
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We get a lot of white and black beans, and they don’t move
You can deposit food on the red wagon or on the table just inside the doors from the parking lot. Our new parish Administrator, Kelly, is in the office Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM. Ring the bell and she can let you in if you wish to drop food items off inside. The Men’s Group will continue to fill the cupboard daily and any support you can provide is deeply appreciated.
We thank you so much for your support!