Every year, PowerHub gives back to the community.

It’s one of the pillars of our organization to make a difference through philanthropy.

In the past, we’ve participated in holiday toy and clothing drives and sponsored families by purchasing gifts for Christmas Day. This year, we’ve decided to focus our efforts on a growing issue in our community; food insecurity.

Food insecurity in Toronto was a major issue throughout the pandemic and has had a lasting impact on many families.

Coupled with inflation, the cost of food, rent, gas, and other essentials are at a 30-year high, and many Canadian families are struggling.

They need Food Banks more than ever.

Some facts about food insecurity you may not be aware of:

• Food bank clients report a monthly median income of $1,106 — well below Toronto’s poverty line of $2,060 per month. After paying rent and utilities, clients are paid an average of $9.17 daily to cover all other necessities, including food.
• Over the past year, there were close to 1.45 million food bank visits in Toronto — the highest number of visits recorded in the city’s history. Visits were at a 47% increase compared to the year prior.
• Systemic racism is closely tied to food insecurity. Food bank clients in Toronto disproportionately identify as Black (14%) or Indigenous (4%) compared to the general population (8% of the Toronto population identifies as Black, while 1% identifies as Indigenous).
• For the first time, new clients accessing Toronto food banks outnumbered existing clients, with a 61% increase in new clients compared to the year prior.
• Emergency responses—including food banks and drop-in meals—do not solve food insecurity, as 85% of clients reported not always having enough food to eat even after food bank use. As a result, 43% went hungry at least once a week.
• Close to one in three food bank visits in Toronto are children and youth, up from one in four before the pandemic. (Stats provided by the Daily Bread Food Bank)

Food Banks are being stretched to their limits, and they require support, too, to continue providing meals to all who need them.

This year, PowerHub will collect non-perishable items and monetary contributions for the Daily Bread Food Bank.

There’s no time like the present to make a difference in your local community. The upcoming holiday season is all about togetherness, and the PowerHub team will be coming together to do our part in helping families get the food they need.

We welcome donations all year round and thank you for any and everything you can give.

If you are interested in donating, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here: info@powerhub.com