Today, Hyrdo One donated $25,000 to Helping Hand Food Bank in Bradford West Gwillimbury as part of its Energizing Life Community Fund.
The $25,000 will be going towards diversifying the type of foods available at the food bank by increasing its halal food offerings to meet the increasing need in the community.
“We’re thrilled and honoured to be recipients of this award,” said Carolyn Khan, executive director of Helping Hand. “The Hydro One’s Energizing Life Community Fund will allow us to serve one of our fastest-growing populations in Bradford, which are our immigrant community. We have a lot of people experiencing food insecurity with a specialized diet. Meeting the dietary needs of all of our clients is very important. We’re so thankful for the $25,000 grant.”
Khan was joined by Jay Armitage, Hydro One VP, marketing and communication, Mayor Rob Keffer, Coun. Jonathan Scott, and Bill Jermyn, VP of the Helping Hand’s board, for the announcement and to help sort halal food.
“What I’m so thrilled about with this particular organization is the fund is meant to support safety—whether it be physical, emotional, or psychological safety,” Armitage said. “When you think about this mission around halal food, no one should have to choose between their faith and food.”
Helping Hand has experienced a 30 per cent increase in the number of its monthly clients compared to pre-pandemic levels.
“On behalf of our community we’re honoured to have our local Helping Hand Food Bank selected as one of 24 recipients across Ontario to receive the Energizing Life Community Fund,” said Keffer. “For over 30 years the Helping Hand Food Bank has made such a positive impact on our community, serving residents who face food insecurity. The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury has grown significantly since the food bank was incorporated back in 1991 and with that growth comes increased demand and a greater, more diverse population who turn to the food bank to help feed their families. Thanks to Hydro One’s Energizing Life Community Fund our foodbank can continue to enhance their offering, grow with the community, and help our families access healthy, affordable food.”
The funding will allow Helping Hand to purchase halal chicken for an entire year as well as be able to put funds towards the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables.
“Twenty-five thousand dollars is going to supporting our Muslim community here in Bradford who experience food insecurity, predominantly Syrian and Afghan refugees who make up the Muslim community that uses the food bank,” said Scott. “It’s Ramadan, a period when Muslim families are fasting and it’s a really fitting moment to be here to announce Hydro One is helping pay for a year’s worth of food during Ramadan.
“It’s also wonderful, every Christmas one of the largest donors to our Christmas food drive is actually the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. There couldn’t be a better symbol of what it means to be Canadian than that. At a Christian holiday, it’s actually a Muslim community that’s one of the biggest food bank donors. Our Muslim community is very generous and Hyrdro One’s funding is going to make a real difference in the Muslim community.”
After putting out the call for applications late last year, Hyrdo One selected Helping Hand Food Bank as a recipient because of its focus on an underserved demographic.
“We were really moved by Helping Hand Food Bank’s application and the concept of being able to offer halal food,” Armitage explained. “To us, we reflected upon the fact that nobody should have to pick between their faith and food. The fact they’re broadening out to support this growing community really moved us and that’s why we chose Helping Hand Food Bank.”
This year, the Energizing Life Community Fund provided $25,000 each to 24 Indigenous communities, municipalities and organizations to enhance their ability to make a difference and build safe communities
“We’re thrilled to support you and be partners in this initiative,” said Armitage. “At Hydro One we talk about our greater purpose to energize life and for us, that means so much more than keeping the lights on, it actually means supporting our communities, giving back, and helping to improve the quality of life in communities across Ontario. That means supporting organizations just like this, so when I think about the past couple of years, we’ve supported large organizations that are helping Canadians but then we started to see a new need. It was these local organizations facing the double whammy of increased need and decreased donations. That’s why we created the Energizing Life Community Fund.”
