Programs

A.C.F. Food Bank provides perishable food, free-of-charge, to hundreds of local agencies that feed people. Over two million of pounds of food is distributed each month through the Surplus Program. The Food Bank serves as a clearinghouse--non-perishable food, rescued from grocery stores, is apportioned to over 600 partner agencies.

Agencies include homeless shelters, senior centers, battered women shelters, day care centers, recreation centers, congregate meal centers, community centers and rehabilitation centers. A.C.F. Food Bank screens the agencies that request food to ensure sure they are nonprofit, serving the needy children and public through a congregate meal or "brown bag" program. The agencies then come to the Food Bank and "shop" for the needs of their clients. There is no fee for A.C.F. Food Bank from the grocery store or to the agency-making A.C.F. Food Bank a link between the two.

To learn more about Agency Surplus Distribution, e-mail us at acf@actlap.org.

A.C.F. Food Bank distributes EFB boxes free of charge to case managers who are assisting families and individuals facing a crisis. The case manager delivers the box, containing a three-day supply of nutritionally balanced nonperishable food directly to the home. This food helps the family manage for a short period of time, until they can get assistance from another agency.

An emergency situation forces families living in poverty to make painful financial decisions. Whether to take a child to the doctor or eat; to fix the car or buy groceries. Each day, thousands of men, women and children - old and young alike, because they cannot make ends meet. The majority of those who receive boxes are senior citizens or low-income families with children. To learn more about the Emergency Food Box program, please email us at acf@actlap.org

A.C.F. Food Bank relies heavily on food drives, especially during the summer months when the nonperishable food supply is greatly depleted. To hold a food drive to help fill Emergency Food Boxes with nonperishable food, please e-mail us at acf@actlap.org.

To volunteer packing Emergency Food Boxes, e-mail us at acf@actlap.org. Click HERE to go to Volunteer Page.

To learn more about agency participation, please e-mail acf@actlap.org

One in four children go to bed hungry each night in Mississaga. Won't you help A.C.F. Food Bank provide for these hungry children?

A.C.F. Food Bank has Emergency Food Boxes specifically for infants called Baby Boxes. Baby Boxes contain formula, diapers, baby cereal, fruit juice and various types of baby food. Social workers come to A.C.F. Food Bank to pick up emergency food for those in need. These boxes are nutritionally balanced and consist of a three-day supply of food to assist babies, and their parents, in desperate situations.

There are two easy ways you can help fill hungry tummies: 1. Sponsor a Baby Box - each box costs $25. Hold a food drive to fill Baby Boxes. For more information on the Baby Box program, please contact us, or to hold a food drive to fill Baby Boxes, please e-mail acf@actlap.org

At A.C.F. Food Bank, BREAD stands for "Bridges Reaching the Elderly And Disabled." BREAD reaches out to seniors who are unable to leave their homes due to financial hardship and physical disabilities. BREAD relies solely on volunteers and donated food.

Once a month, volunteers deliver a free BREAD box. What makes A.C.F. Food Bank's BREAD box bigger - the senior not only receives food, they also receive the friendship of the volunteer BREAD driver.

Included in each BREAD box are items such as peanut butter, juice, pasta, beans, cereal and canned foods like tuna, vegetables and fruits. When available, fresh bread, produce, pastries and milk are added.

BREAD drivers are needed to reach deserving seniors on our waiting list. To learn more about the BREAD program, or to become a volunteer BREAD driver, e-mail us at acf@actlap.org Click HERE to go to the Volunteer Application Page.

FoodCARE, a cooperative food-buying program of A.C.F. Food Bank, helps people stretch their food budget. FoodCARE's purpose is to assist low-income families and encourage volunteerism in the community.

Once a month, at 140 sites throughout Peel, Toronto and the GTA participants purchase FoodCARE boxes and save about 40% on their grocery bill. FoodCARE boxes cost $15.00 and are filled with purchased food items such as meat, pasta, rice, beans and canned foods.

The majority of FoodCARE participants are over between 16 - 55, on a fixed income, interested in saving money and care about their community.

To learn more about FoodCARE, contact us or e-mail acf@actlap.org .

Cash and Carry, one of the Food Value Programs of A.C.F. Food Bank, operates every Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. and Monday from 2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. at 2831 North 31st Avenue. Participants can pay with either cash or food stamps. Based on self-qualifying requirement of need, recipients can purchase a food box for $15 and a meat box for $10. The items in the food box are purchased and generally consist of frozen meat, canned fruits, vegetables and other staples like rice, pasta or cereal.

When Cash and Carry began in 1999, the program sold approximately 500 boxes a month. Presently, the program averages 850 boxes every week! If you would like to learn more about the Cash and Carry program, or would like to know about its volunteer opportunities, please call or e-mail us at acf@actlap.org

Recently, A.C.F. Food Bank established a food distribution network that encompasses the entire Peel Region. What started as a single distribution in Eastern Mississauga, has evolved into four different distribution types. Currently, we have school distributions, Cash and Carry distributions, neighborhood distributions with FoodCARE products and neighborhood distributions strictly from donated food. The sites and types of distributions are selected according to need. The need could be due to work shortage or simply a repressed area in need of food. Areas like Central Mississauga might simply get a donated food distribution, while the rural area sites are more likely to get distributions with FoodCARE because of their isolation.

School distributions are targeted to a specific group where most of the students qualify for the school's free breakfast and lunch programs. Sadly, many of the children do not get a good meal between their school lunch Friday and their school breakfast Monday.

All of these distributions rely heavily on volunteers. For more information on these distributions, or to volunteer to help, please contact us at acf@actlap.org.

The purpose of the Community Kitchen Program is to provide training and job placement in the food service industry to low income adults, while feeding the hungry. The training program helps people struggling with unemployment and poverty gain the skills they need for jobs that offer a living wage, benefits and opportunity for advancement. While students learn they help their community by recycling surplus food into meals for agencies that serve people in need. The meals are created by the students from food donations, and served without a charge to various organizations feeding those in need.

Training format: The Community Kitchen program holds four classes of ten to twelve students, each running 12 weeks in length. Monday through Friday students cook from scratch and learn food service skills. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, they spend part of their day in the classroom learning life skills and employer expectations to assist them with the tools needed to hold a job. Two of the twelve weeks are spent in internships working in local businesses kitchens.

Policies and Procedures: The Community Kitchen staff provides support to each student in regard to childcare, transportation, tutoring and any other issue that may arise over the course of the involvement. Each student receives a weekly stipend while in class and is provided a uniform. The staff members help with job placement and continue support for a 12-month period following graduation, providing guidance for career advancement.

Class Structure: The workplace is mirrored in the kitchen and classroom. Strict rules of attendance, appearance and safety are enforced. Proper language and attitudes are necessary. Students are provided with weekly assessments on their food service skills, but also on following directions, being a team member and working efficiently. Upon completion, each student will receive a Serv/Safe Managers Certification from the National Restaurant Association and Food Handlers Card.

Staff: The staff consists of a Program Manager, Chef/Food Trainer and Job Coordinator. Each staff member closely works with students and participates in training and teaching. modeling the workplace begins with the program staff and is mirrored by guest instructors and chefs. The staff has professional experience in the food industry as well as knowledgeable in working with a diverse population.

Community Outreach: The Community Kitchen Program works closely with local food service establishments to provide internships and employment for students. It also invites workshop providers to present to classes in their area of expertise, while closely working with other agencies. Sample classes: self-esteem, team-building, conflict resolution, budgeting, interview techniques, safety in the workplace, fire safety, CPR and first aid training, managing chaos and staying drug and alcohol free.

For more information, contact us at acf@actlap.org.

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