Community Pantry to be placed at Station Arts Center in Tillsonburg

A pair of local organizations have teamed up to battle food insecurity in the tillsonburg area.

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Members of Both the Tillsonburg Rotary Club and Arts station EARNED TOWN COURCIL’S Support for a New Community Pantry.

In a deputation on Feb. 10, The Groups Outlined Their Plan to Place A Structure at The Arts Center at No cost to the public.

“It’s not intended to take the place of any food insecurity programs that are in place in Town Today… this is intended to increase those,” Said Jason Weiler of the Rotary Club of Tillsonburg. “It’s also meant to be a mutual aid program which is something that allows Our Community to engage Together to support Those in Need.”

Weiler Added that the Project Will Help to Prevent Food Waste Among Exists Programms in Town, and is one business in the area can contribute to.

“This is not a cutting-edge idea,” Weiler admitted. “This is something that’s embraced by small and large communities throughout Ontario.”

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During the Past Year, The Rotary Club has contact organizations and officials in charge of pantries in respective communities throughout the province. Adding the pantry will be done as a way for residents to secure food outside of the specific hours of tillsonburg’s present offering.

“A Lot of Those Programs Have Specific Times and Dates that they can be available – There’s some flexibility there, but there’s also some gaps,” Said Weiler, indicating the Tillsonburg Food Bank Experienced a 35 per cent Increase in Services Provided Over the Last Two Years.

“The need has grown significantly through 2023 and 2024.”

In Looking for a Pantry Rental, The Western Side of the Arts Center Provided the Perfect Stage – Close to Downtown, we concrete pad with Exterior Lighting and Close to An Electrical Outlet. A Group of Volunteers Will Inspect All Donations to Ensure High-Quality Options.

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“We work with a lot of families in the community and know that there is a high food insecurity in the community as well, so we were very on board in being a part of and helping with this project,” Said Tabitha Verbuyst, Executive Director of the Station Arts Center

“There’s a perfectly big Enough Space Back there… We Could Build Exactly What We Looking for Without Touching the Facade of the Building.”

Verbuyst and Her Team Have Been in Contact With A Security Company looking Vandalism onsite and would examine Having Regular Rounds at the pantry.

“We would want to do something that is creative and fun given that it’s part of the Station Art Center’s Area,” She Added.

Food inccurity is not just a growing concern in tillsonburg. Last Month Kingston Became the Third City in the province to declare food insecurity an emergency, Joining Both Toronto and Mississauga. HUGERCOUNT 2024, by Food Banks Canada, has reported that one-third of food bank customers are children, which representing nearly 700,000 monthly visits in 2024.

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“When i worked with big brothers big sisters, we had families all the time that would go to the food bank, run out of food and have now to go and the kids would be to school with a bag of dried cheerios for lunch, ”Said Tillsonburg Councillor Kelly Spencer.

“This is an amazing option and from the time i use to work with them, food insecurity and gone through the roof. This Will Help Single Families, Families Struggling – All Types of Folks Across the Board. ”

COUCIL GAVE ITS WORK TO The Project Provided Organizers Work With Southwestern Public Health for Associated Health APPREVALS and Best Practices and Applicable Town Requirements Are Met.

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