Postal workers in Thunder Bay prepare for door-to-door food drive

The Regional Food Distribution Association of Thunder Bay (RFDA) is preparing for its annual Stamp Out Hunger event, known as the Posties Food Drive.

Thunder Bay residents are asked to leave non-perishable food items in a waterproof bag, either hangingfrom their mailbox or outside their front door, on Saturday for Canada Post workers to collect.

"We're looking for those high-value protein items and a lot of things that make simple meals," said the RFDA's executive director, Volker Kromm.

The RFDA supports more than 11,500 people across northwestern Ontario.

This is the first year the food drive has been held since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Beforethe pandemic, it was the organization's second-largest food drive of the year.

"We're looking forward to getting a lot of food back. Although the shelves aren't empty, we are really missing a lot of the basic necessities that come in through the random donations that come from the people here in Thunder Bay," Kromm said.

Stocking the shelves for summer

While people often associate food drives with holidayslike Thanksgiving and Christmas, Kromm said there's a need for extra donations over the summer months when students are out of school.

As kids are home, they'll be eating more at home and there will be more of a demand for those extra things.- Volker Kromm, executive director of the RFDA

"The food need doesn't go away," he said. "I would really love to be able to ramp up our supply because as kids are home, they'll be eating more at home and there will be more of a demand for those extra things."

The RFDA says it's most in need of canned meat, vegetables, soup, pasta, peanut butter, baby food and cereal. Monetary donations are also welcomeas they can be used to purchase produce and other essentials.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Posties Food Drive would bring inabout nine tonnes of food, Kromm said.

In addition to fighting food insecurity in the region, Kromm said, the food drive also gives people a chance to thank their local postal workers for what they do in the community.

Improving food literacy

While Kromm and his crew are busy filling up the warehouse, Alexandra Grzelewski is getting the RFDA's gardens ready for the summer.

Grzelewski, the RFDA's horticulturist and community engagement co-ordinator, got her start as a student gardener before attending the University of Guelph to study horticulture. The RFDA has community gardens at Redwood Park Church and the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority, and is starting a new one at Confederation College this season.

The main goal is to grow root vegetablessuch as potatoes, beets, carrots and onions,which have a longer shelf life and are easier to process in the RFDA's kitchens.

Another addition this year will be beehives, which means Grzelewski will also be planting flowers to support the pollinators.

"I think it's very important to have food literacy and for people to understand our food systems," she said.

"Having these gardens can give opportunities for people to be educated and to think about their food and where it comes from, and to be aware of people that are struggling with food insecurity."

She encourages people interested in volunteering at the gardens to reach out to the RFDA.

The organization is also working with schools where classrooms are given fertilized eggs to incubate and watch hatch.

"We've sort of spread the excitement of raising animals to other people," Grzelewski said.

Donations for the Posties Food Drive will be picked up from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday. If any households are missed, residents are asked to put their bags back out on Monday by 9 a.m.