For Immediate Release
October 28, 2004

$60,000 Grant Helps Kanata Food Cupboard To Help The Community

Kanata –  The Kanata Food Cupboard celebrated the opening of their new location today with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony with staff, volunteers and local officials.  Among the guests was MPP Norm Sterling and Tom O’Neill, a volunteer with the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s local Grant Review Team, to present the organization with a plaque from the Foundation in recognition of a $60,000 grant the Kanata Food Cupboard received in March. 

"This funding provides an excellent example of how the Trillium Foundation supports community-driven initiatives that make a real difference in the lives of the people of Ontario," Sterling said. "These improvements, to help outfit the new location for the Kanata Food Cupboard, will support the important work of the hundreds of local volunteers who work to provide emergency food services to families in our area."

Also at the opening were Councillor Peggy Feltmate, Father John Bridges, parish priest at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Marianne Wilkinson, Chairperson of Kanata Food Cupboard and Heather Colls, Co-ordinator, Kanata Food Cupboard.

The one-year grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation has been used to provide a better refrigeration system in the new building, as well as providing additional shelving, new electrical outlets and lighting and repainting the walls.  In addition, grant money has also been used for new office equipment and computers, which will enable staff and volunteers to better track and assess their supplies and needs.

Since 1985, the Kanata Food Cupboard has been collecting and distributing food to people in our community. Each month, 260 to 290 families use their services, which translates into 1,500- to 1,700 people (and includes more than 600 children).  If you would like to make a donation or volunteer your time, please go to our website for more information at www.kanatafoodcupboard.ca.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Ministry of Culture, annually receives $100 million of government funding generated through Ontario's charity casino initiative.

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For more information, please contact:

Heather Colls                                                                                                                

Kanata Food Cupboard                                                         

613-599-1248          

Norm Sterling, MPP

Lanark-Carleton

613-253-1171