What's Happening @ FYFB

Support the Annual Holiday Fund Appeal

For more than a decade, FYFB has been there for our clients during the holiday season

This November we are kicking off what may be the most important Holiday Fund Appeal in our 11-year history. Demand for our services is at an all-time high and the financial hardship of our clients has never been greater.

We have witnessed a 30 percent increase in the number of clients needing our services over the past 24 months. And today, our average client lives on less than $3 a day after paying their housing expenses.

Behind these numbers are the faces of families living in poverty in downtown Toronto during the holiday season. Faces that include hundreds of children. The Holiday Fund Appeal is critical to ensuring we can provide special services to children and families who rely on our programs during the holidays. We invite you to please help us help families in need by supporting our Holiday Fund Appeal with an urgently needed donation. Your support can make the difference in creating positive holiday memories for these families at this important time of the year.

You can make a difference in our community this Holiday Season by donating securely online through the Canada Helps website or by mailing or dropping off your donation at:

Fort York Food Bank
797 Dundas Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M6J 1V2

Coming Events

Holiday Open House and Volunteer Recognition Night

The annual Holiday Open House and Volunteer Recognition Night will be held on Wednesday, December 9 between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. at FYFB. The Open House is our special opportunity to thanks the hundreds of volunteers and donors who have helped FYFB help people in need in our community over the past decade. RSVP to events@FYFB.com. See you there!

» » Click here to view the Open House invitation.

» » View the photo gallery from last year's Holiday Open House here.

Journalists for Human Rights on FYFB

Journalist Sachin Seth visited FYFB recently and tells the stories of three clients in this audio clip - a first for Connects. Sachin had this to say of his visit:

I went to Fort York with many questions in an effort to find out how the food bank copes with such large demand. But instead of coming away with answers, I quickly fell in love with the men and women who work there. Their pasts, in some cases heartbreaking, and their ambition, in some cases inspiring.

This is the story of three of the selfless women I met who turned their lives around to give back to the community. This is the story of Trudy, Janice and Liz.

Thank you Sachin for telling our stories to the world at rabble.ca and blastmagazine.com.

» » Click here to listen to the audio file

FYFB Annual Meeting

FYFB held its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, October 21. At that meeting the current directors were re-elected and we also welcomed back former board member Luke Pollard. Watch this space next month for Luke's reflection on what it means to be involved with FYFB.

» » FYFB Directors and staff.

FYFB Gets Green at Queen West Art Crawl

Thank you to everyone who came out to support FYFB at the Queen West Art Crawl in September -- you're keeping FYFB connected to the community.

With perfect weather a good time was had by all and, over the weekend, nearly $1,000 was raised. Thank you to all the volunteers and budding art dealers who made the weekend a success, as well as our generous artists who donated their work. A big FYFB 'thank you' goes out to Cactus Design for developing a fabulous new printed piece telling the FYFB story. It was a huge help to give members of our community more information about FYFB. Get your own copy at the Holiday Open House!

Give Smarter

Charity Intelligence is a non-profit organization that researches and analyzes Canada's charities to enable donors to make informed and effective giving decisions that reward charities for their results. After evaluating the numbers and combining that with the results, Charity Intelligence writes a report with everything a potential donor needs to know and provides a recommendation. FYFB might just have won a spot on this coveted list. Watch this spot for an update after we attend the Charity Intelligence dinner November 19. You can learn more about Charity Intelligence by visiting charityintelligence.ca

Ways to Get Involved at FYFB

Do you know someone who'd be interested in the great work FYFB does? Tell them about us by clicking here.