York Region Food Network (YRFN) began coordinating food drives and serving as a liaison between food banks and York Region agencies in 1986.
They have since expanded their operations, with numerous programs throughout the York Region aimed at increasing access to fresh, affordable, and nutritious food.
Through their Good Food Box program, YRFN purchases fresh produce at wholesale prices, repackages it into Good Food Boxes for local distribution, and passes those savings on to customers.
“With our bulk produce arrangement, these boxes are more cost-effective than purchasing the same quantity of food from a grocery store,” YRFN has explained.
Recent local partnerships have allowed YRFN to add two new pickup locations, one in Stouffville and another in Richmond Hill.
In Stouffville, YRFN is working with the Hummingbird Hub and The ABLE Network, with St. James Presbyterian Church hosting the new pickup location at 6432 Main Street.
“We are very excited to be able to offer this program for Stouffville,” Laura Cusack, Executive Director of Hummingbird Hub, said in a recent press release. “It is wonderful to see more partnerships of social organizations coming together to provide support, programs, and solutions for many within our community.”
“It’s exciting to see this grow into a solid support service that can help so many across a broad demographic spectrum, including…families, seniors, and young people on a tight budget,” Cusack added.
The Good Food Box program is open to everyone, and the $18 boxes are made available on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. More information and the online order form can be found here.
Funding for YRFN’s service expansion into Stouffville is thanks to the Whitchurch-Stouffville Legacy Fund.
