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31| O akville B eaver | T hursday,A ugust 9,2018 insidehalton.com FridaytoMonday, LabourDayWeekend Aug. 31- Sept. 03, 2018 • Spencer Smith Park • CanadasLargestRibfest.com 19 RIBBERS • OVER 30 MUSICAL ACTS • KIDS ZONE • CRAFTERS • FREE ADMISSION KIDS ZONE Burlington Lakeshore A Fundraising Initiative of Send YOUR MESSAGE to 60,000 homes in the community and SUPPORT this discussion about the importance of shopping where we live and supporting our national and local economies. For more information contact the Oakville Beaver at 905-845-3824 Show your Canadian Pride! Co m in g Au gu st 23rd, Don't M iss O ut! With approximately 31,000 Halton residents liv- ing without proper access to healthy meals, children and their families struggle now more than ever to break the cycle of poverty. Food insecurity is a common barrier that often goes unnoticed. It can be missed meals or a decision between paying the heat- ing bill and buying grocer- ies. When Halton resident Melanie was 15, she was liv- ing on her own with no in- come. To put some food on the shelves, Melanie visit- ed a United Way-supported food program. After using its services for a couple of years, Melanie chose to give back to her communi- ty and began volunteering at the same food bank. Now, Melanie has the re- sources she needs to have a healthy meal and tackle the day, and also reaps the benefits of giving back to her community. For years, United Way Halton & Hamilton (UWHH) has linked corpo- rate resources and social responsibility with local need. Last month Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp (APUC) staff rallied to sup- port food insecure house- holds across Halton Re- gion. Currently, one in 10 peo- ple living in Halton are food insecure. On behalf of gracious donors, UWHH invests in six local agencies addressing hunger. To- gether, these programs support the distribution of more than six million meals annually. APUC hosted a compet- itive food drive for its em- ployees in July, donating skids of food for the cause and gathering at Sheridan Conference Centre to cre- ate food sculptures that re- presented sustainability out of the donations as a part of a corporate team building event. More than 180 APUC staff participated. "We know that students who eat healthy food dur- ing the school day are bet- ter prepared to focus on their studies and to achieve higher grades," Brad Park, president and CEO of Unit- ed Way Halton & Hamilton, said during the event. "We also know that food insecu- rity can be a factor in driv- ing mental illness and iso- lation." Companies and employ- ers often seek meaningful engagement and volunteer opportunities that align with corporate social re- APUC, UNITED WAY HELP TO FEED HALTON'S HUNGRY RESIDENTS COMMUNITY See MANY, page 32