The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

PAGE 6 THE ACTON MONTHLY VOLUME |, ISSUE 2 Acton Food Share sees increase in use, more donations needed The Acton Food Share has seen an increase in the number of clients that rely on the food bank. According to Acton Food Share Chairperson, Mike Albano, the number of families accessing the service has increased this year to some of the highest levels on record. “We were getting about, on an average around 25 families per week and now we are at 35... It’s almost doubled in terms of the clients we are taking on.” Albano says the clients that are accessing the Food Share are not specific to just one demographic but to many, from young families to senior citizens. There are also various reasons as to why clients are relying on the food bank, says Albano. “Some of them may be supplementing their food because the money doesn’t go that far.” And it isn’t just clients who are struggling to stretch a dollar, as the Food Share is also facing its own issues with high food prices which has led to a decrease in the amount of items donated. “We've noticed that donations are considerably low, lower than what we've been getting... the money doesn’t go very far. What we used to get from Sobeys in a $5 bag, that people can buy, we would get a number of cans of tuna, some Kraft Dinners and some other stuff. Now just two or three items for that same $5.” Despite the challenges of getting is more out of a dollar, Albano says the Food Share ensures that clients still get the fresh produce they need, along with milk and the usual canned goods. “We try to give them a variety of food... They get fresh vegetables and protein, and the canned ods.” According to Albano, on pickup day, the shelves, fridges and freezers are stocked full but by the end of the day, they are almost empty. The items that are always in need for donation include soups, canned fruit & vegetables, pasta, crackers, and peanut butter. Also included on that list are basic toiletries. Albano says donations can be dropped off at bins at Giant Tiger, No Frills and Sobeys, or on Tuesdays at the Food Share. Monetary donations are also appreciated and can be made out to the Acton Food Share. While there has been an increase in food prices and the mount of clients coming to the Food Share, Albano assures that no one will be turned away, as the organization’s mission is to provide to anyone in need. “If someone is in need of food, they can come in and let us know that they don’t have any food and we will provide food. They will not be turned away.” For anyone that is in need of assistance, Albano says clients can visit the Food Share to register and they will be added to the list for bi-weekly pickup, with the food pickup scheduled through appointment only. “The appointment just simply makes it easier for our volun- teers to know how many people are coming, how much food we need and that sort of gives us a gauge of what we need for the day.” In keeping with not turning anyone away, if the Food Share is unable to help with a specific need, Albano says they will direct the client to an organization or service that. will be able to better assist them. The Acton Food share is located at 352 Queen Street and is open Tuesdays from 8:30 to 11:40 AM and from 12:30 to 2:30 PM. For more information on donations, or to sign up as a client, you can call the Acton Food Share at 519-853-0457 or visit actonfoodshare.com.