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Dear Valued Donors and Community Members,
It's hard to believe Fall is already upon us! In this issue of our newsletter, we take a look back at August and highlight the increasing need seen in our food pantry. We also say some very well-deserved 'thank yous', and share some updates about our programming. Read on for more information!
Food Hampers
In August, we distributed 805 food hampers, supporting 1,688 individuals, including 215 seniors, 116 single parents, and 609 children in our community.


Emergency Hampers
In August, we provided 222 emergency food hampers to individuals in our community who found themselves in need of additional support.
First Time Visits
In August, 68 individuals accessed our food pantry for the very first time. 

Our community's support is crucial as we try to keep up with this increasing demand.
14.8% Month-over-Month Increase in Total Individuals Served
In August, we provided food hampers to 1,688 individuals, marking a 14.8% increase compared to July's total of 1,470.
 
Additionally, we extended more support to single parents, assisting 116 this month compared to last month's 97. These numbers not only highlight the growing need within our community but underscore the particular challenges faced by single parents. 
65% Increase in Children Served Since 1 Year Ago
In August 2024, we provided emergency food assistance to 609 children under the age of 18. When compared to August 2023, this is a stark 65% in the number of children accessing our food bank.

This increase once again emphasizes the challenges many families face in providing essential nutrition for their children, highlighting the increasing need for support among our community's youngest members.
 
Bag To School Program Highlights
We are pleased to share that our Bag to School program supported over 700 K-12 students across the metro region this year; that's double the amount from previous years!

This accomplishment is a direct result of the extraordinary kindness and generosity of our community members—you made this possible. We extend our deepest gratitude for your continued support. Your dedication to helping others underscores the strength of our community. Thank you for making such a meaningful difference!
Bag to School - Behind-the-Scenes Gallery
 
 
These images capture just a handful of the many dedicated individuals who helped make the Bag to School program a success--there are countless others not pictured who played crucial roles. We must also give a special thank you to our food pantry volunteers, whose diligent efforts ensured our food bank continued to run smoothly during the busy Bag to School distribution week. Their commitment allowed us to provide uninterrupted service while addressing the increased demand.
 
Exploring Regional Food Bank Collaboration
 
In August, our Executive Director spent a few days in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with representatives from Food Banks Canada, Community Food Sharing Association, and McSheffrey Resource Centre.

They visited several food banks and provincial food banking associations, including Feed Nova Scotia, Brunswick Street Mission, Food Depot Alimentaire, Shediac Food Bank, Peter McKee Community Food Centre, and Sussex Sharing Club. Along the way, they participated in discussions on the future of food banking and some ways emergency food programs in St. John’s can work together to better serve the community.

We are excited to see positive changes coming about in this sector, and would like to thank Food Banks Canada for this meaningful opportunity.
 
A Decade of Dedication: Honouring Raylene
 
This month marks a significant milestone for Raylene, our Intake Coordinator, as she completes ten years of dedicated service at Bridges to Hope. She is the first face community members see on arrival to our food pantry, and she has a gift for making folks feel respected and welcomed, setting a tone of warmth and care that resonates throughout our community.

As we acknowledge Raylene's decade of unwavering dedication, we invite you to join us in appreciating all her hard work and efforts throughout this last decade.
 
Community Highlights
 
Thanks to our Corporate Partners and Sponsors
Dicks & Company
Major thanks are in order to Dicks & Company for their continued support of our Bag to School program!

Each year they ensure our orders get packed with care so each student has access to top-quality, curriculum-based school supplies. They even deliver the filled backpacks straight to our door, ready to be distributed to local families.
Altius Minerals
We are deeply grateful for Altius Minerals' incredibly generous donation of $8,000 that came at a crucial time.
 
Altius reached out in mid-August when they saw our Bag to School program had not yet reached its fundraising goal, and offered to help us cross the finish line.

Their support ensured that every family applying for support was able to receive it.
Hickman Automotive Group
A heartfelt thanks to Hickman Automotive Group for their generous $4,000 donation.
 
As annual supporters of our Bag to School program, they continued their tradition of generosity this year, ensuring we had enough school essentials to meet our goal.
 
Partnerships like this are what allow us to keep making a difference in our community.
Thanks to our Community Partners
Barry & Nadine Perry Family Foundation
We would like to extend our gratitude to the Barry and Nadine Family Foundation for donating $2,000 to our Bag to School program.

This support means so much to us and the families we serve.
Canadian Federation of University Women
A big thanks to Canadian Federation of University Women's St.John's Chapter for choosing Bridges to Hope to support with their generous donation of $1,000. 
 
We were delighted to give representatives Libby Foran and Joan McCue a behind-the-scenes look at the program and our food pantry!
Kenmount Bingo
For the second year in a row, Kenmount Bingo organized a school supply donation drive in support of local students.

Thanks to their help, dozens of students previously on our waitlist received high quality school supplies this back to school season.
Sharing The Harvest NL
It was lovely to have Barry of Sharing the Food Harvest NL drop by again in August!

He brought along fresh blueberries for our food pantry, picked by two young women in Trinity Bay.
 
Thank you Barry for your continuous support.
Tommy Hilfiger (Avalon Mall)
Thank you to the staff at Tommy Hilfiger, Avalon Mall for hosting a school supply drive in support of our Bag to School program.
 
We truly appreciate your kindness and support!
Dillon Consulting
Thank you to Dillon Consulting for hosting a 'cereal drive' in support of our food pantry!

Cereal is a commonly requested item in our pantry, and we can always count on Dillon Consulting to lend a helping hand.
Steers Insurance
Our heartfelt thanks to Steers Insurance for hosting a fundraiser at their Annual Golf Tournament in support of our pantry.
 
Steers Insurance is a regular supporter of Bridges to Hope. Once again, their kind gesture highlights our community's commitment to supporting those in need. 
Bread Mix Fundraiser
We are grateful to Christine B. for hosting a fundraiser in support of our food pantry.

Christine is always eager to support her community, and we are grateful for her dedication. Thank you, Christine!
Islamic Relief Canada
We would like to thank Islamic Relief Canada for their support of local families.
 
Their St. John’s chapter invited us to be a partner in their back to school initiative, distributing much needed school supplies to community organizations who support children.
 
Updates
Fall Volunteer Recruitment
Have you been wanting to get more involved in your community? Now’s the time! Bridges to Hope’s fall volunteer recruitment is now open and we have multiple positions available to fit your busy schedule!

Visit our volunteer page for a description of each position—and a link to apply!
Farewell to Our Summer Staff
Last Friday, we said goodbye to our summer staff, Evelyn and Colin, as they prepare to return to their studies. If you visited our food pantry this summer, you likely saw Evelyn and Colin busy packing food hampers, assisting in the kitchen, or ensuring our shelves were well-stocked to serve the community.
 
We are immensely grateful for their contributions and wish them the best in their upcoming endeavours!
 
In Memory: Robert Strong Driscoll
On behalf of the Board, staff, and volunteers at Bridges to Hope, we would like to extend our most sincere condolences to the family of Robert (‘Bob’) Strong Driscoll.
 
Bob volunteered in our food pantry for many years and was a key member of our “Thursday crew,” always making time for a cup of tie and a ‘bickie’ with the team after a busy morning of packing food hampers.
 
Bob leaves a legacy of dedicated community service spanning decades, and will be deeply missed at Bridges to Hope.
 
Join us in making a greater impact! Share our mission on social media and help us reach even more people in need.
37 Cookstown Rd, St. John's NL A1C 4G7
info@bridgestohope.ca
(709) 722-9225