Kayla Reid

On Rock food drive helped by Robert Baldwin MNA and Youth Council

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / December 24, 2024 / Chelsey St-Pierre, Food Bank, Kayla Reid, On Rock

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

A food drive took place last Thursday and Friday at On Rock food bank in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, helped by the Robert-Baldwin Youth Council led by the MNA for Robert-Baldwin Brigitte Garceau together with On Rock’s operations manager Kayla Reid.

When Garceau heard that one of the organization’s freezers broke down resulting in the loss of over 1200 kg of food, she immediately reached out to her Youth Council to get involved and support the food bank and help restore its losses. “Everyone answered the call,” Garceau told The Suburban. “We heard from On Rock that $80,000 worth of food was gone. We knew that we needed to act quickly.”

“When Brigitte proposed this food drive, we jumped on it immediately. One of the mandates of the Youth Council is to go into the community and help with initiatives led by the MNA,” Youth Council member Earl Corales said to The Suburban. “On Rock is close to home for me. I went to school with many peers whose families seek their services. I understand the important role that On Rock plays in our community. I was deeply concerned by the effects that this (food loss) might have.”

On Rock Founder Kim Reid explained to The Suburban that On Rock restored the majority of the loss in four days with the support of Sun Youth and the Montreal Milk Federation, but with a growing demand — additional supplies are always needed and much appreciated by recipients.

Throughout the six hour food drive that ran from 1:00 p.m. — 7 p.m. last Thursday and Friday, representatives from neighbouring organizations and elected officials visited the food bank in a show of support. Some of those present at the time of The Suburban‘s visit included: Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor Jim Beis, Pointe-Claire Mayor Tim Thomas, and the Director of PCSM — Patrick Merrigan, Michel Leclair executive director of Projet communautaire de Pierrefonds, and Pierrefonds-Roxboro Councillors Benoit Langevin and Sharkie Tarakjian.

Food insecurity has soared with inflation and mortgage/rental increases. In Pierrefonds-Roxboro municipal taxes imposed by the Agglomeration has also had a significant effect on the abilities for families to afford both housing costs and food costs. The three West Island food banks play a major role in helping hundreds of families, seniors and other vulnerable persons in need. “These services are fundamental,” Garceau said. “We need to support them.” n

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West Island Y holds drive-thru food drive

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / April 27, 2024 / Corey Oliver, Kayla Reid, Olive-Urquhart center, On Rock, Pointe-Claire, YMCA

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

The annual spring drive-thru food drive outside the Olive-Urquhart center in Pointe-Claire, hosted by the YMCA, kicked off the post-holiday season collection of non-perishable food items to help stock up food banks serving all areas of the West Island.

Dozens of vehicles stocked up with food donations were unloaded by volunteers as West Islanders drove up to the drop off point located front and centre of the lot’s roundabout and the items were sorted on a table with marked sections directly at the sports centre’s front entrance.

“Everything counts, even one tub of peanut butter or pack of pasta. We appreciate all donations,” YMCA St-Laurent representative Corey Oliver said to The Suburban. “People tend to think of food drives during the winter holidays, but spring is another time when food banks need to replenish,” West Island Y site manager Nadia Garofalo told The Suburban.

On Rock community services representative Kayla Reid explained to The Suburban that spring drive stock-ups are critical for students who rely on school-based food programs to curb hunger. “During the year, we have many programs that run to get food into the hands of kids, but when they go home for the summer, they don’t have those same resources.”

“Without the in-school food program, once the school year ends, families need more food security support at home,” TQSOI Community network project coordinator, food security Eve Lemaire St-Gelais said.

“Hunger does not take a vacation. Now is a good time to stock up and the reality on the ground is that we need to stock up all year round,” West Island Mission executive director Suzanne Scarrow told The Suburban.

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