Help Avondale and House of Blessing stock their shelves for the summer

Avondale United Church will host its annual Community Food Drive in partnership with Stratford House of Blessing.

The church will be collecting non-perishable food items in its parking lot on June 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. While House of Blessing will not be on-site, the donations will be divided between Avondale’s Food Shelf and the House of Blessing’s food bank.

There’s been a nearly 25 per cent increase in clients who use the food shelf from April 2025 to April 2026.

"I expect that will continue to increase with the cost of food and the cost of living in general. A lot of our clients are really struggling,” said Joanne Ehgoetz, chair of the food shelf committee. “We have a lot of working people, but they just don't make enough to make ends meet anymore or sometimes in an emergency somebody had to take a week off sick and said, ‘We needed that week's salary to make the ends meet.’” 

Avondale and House of Blessing are looking for non-perishable food items in particular such as peanut butter, cereal, granola bars, instant coffee, canned fruits and vegetables and cans of pasta sauce, jam, tuna and condensed soup. There’s a drop in donations for the Food Shelf during the summer months as many people are busy and/or on vacation. Ehgoetz said the food drive aims to ensure there’s plenty of pantry staples available from June to September.

"The idea of the food drive is to think of us through the summer and when you're away and you have your barbeques and your plenty, then remember the people that aren't going to be as fortunate,” she said. “We can't very well ask them for perishables because they may not last us for the whole summer, then."

Ehgoetz added that every donation helps, even if all you can afford to donate is a can of soup or a can of tuna. However, be mindful of the shelf life of the food and avoid donating expired items.

 "I've heard people say 'Well, if they're hungry, they'll eat it,' and the dignity of our clientele is something we really take seriously so we ask people to check their best-before-dates before donate it to us,” she said. “Just because somebody can't afford to buy their own food, should they get their leftovers? And we feel that's not right either." 

Donors are asked to enter the Avondale parking lot from Huntingdon Avenue. Hot dogs and pop will be available at the food drive to purchase by donation. Tax receipts will also be issued for monetary donations.