Winnipeg Harvest Provides Food with a Heart

Winnipeg Harvest is not just any charitable food service or food bank. Winnipeg Harvest provides food and other items for over 39,000 people, every single month of the year. That is a lot of hungry mouths to feed. It survives on the donations, time, and kindness of many people, businesses and organizations.

Hunger is an ingoing problem in Winnipeg. There are many people in need of assistance in this hard city. Winnipeg Harvest is a program for anyone who needs help. They don't discriminate. They are just there to lend a hand. They make life a little more manageable for the recipients of their program.

It isn't just the unemployed who have a hard time making ends meet. Incomes may not be sufficient to feed a family. The working class poor often have a struggle, from week to week. It isn't limited to the young and families either. Retirees and the elderly are affected. Divorcees and single parents may need help. When you are hungry, every bit helps. The difference here is how the help comes about. Human dignity is a key factor in how Winnipeg Harvest runs its operation. They have a hands on approach, to an ongoing need.

Winnipeg Harvest is a truly amazing food service program. Make no mistake, this is definitely a business. It takes a lot of dedication, to make this program run smoothly. For the number of volunteers and staff working there, constantly coming and going, things are run with care and precision. That isn't an easy task, when you aren't sure what work force you will have each day.

They are an impressive, charitable service. This is no fly by night organization. This is a hands on, hard working, group of individuals who staff, run and work at Winnipeg Harvest.

There is a dedicated paid staff, but much of the work is done by volunteers in all parts of the program, from the office to the distribution center.. These people come from all walks of life. The volunteers have differing abilities and skills. Some are there putting in hours towards food. If you are capable of working for food, they ask that you put in a given number of hours a month in to get it. It is a great program that helps to give a hand up, along with a hand out.

Children can volunteer at Winnipeg Harvest too, as long as they have adult supervision. It is good way to teach them the value of donating your time to help your community.

Workers get fed a lunch on the days they are working at the distribution center itself. They earn bags of food and other goods, if they need it.

Some are just there to lend a helping hand and a kind heart. There are even volunteers who are temporary residents from other countries. The volunteers are all ages and races. The workers at Winnipeg Harvest ,represent the face and heart of the city of Winnipeg.

For the volunteers who earn some of the food from Winnipeg Harvest, there is a certain amount of self pride and dignity in being able to both earn some food, and contribute to others while doing so. It is a win win situation, and place to work. Not everyone who volunteers need the food services. They come to give back to their community.

Winnipeg Harvest runs a fleet of 10 trucks. The money to run those trucks has to be raised. With the increasing costs of fuel, the fuelling and running of the delivery and pick up vehicles, takes a large chunk of their budget. They not only drive all over the city delivering and picking up donations, they sometimes go out to neighbouring farms. There they may even help gather excess crops, that are being donated to Winnipeg Harvest.

Winnipeg Harvest runs different fund raising drives. They need everything from office supplies to gas fro the trucks, and food donations, to just straight cash. In 2007, they had a 24 hour food marathon. They were attempting to break the record for the most food gathered in a 24 hour period. With the help of a group of hardy, spirited volunteers, they broke the record.

Local grocery stores and businesses donate some of the needed food. Farms and individuals also bring in contributions. They need food and cash donations in order to keep Winnipeg Harvest afloat. This is not a one time thing. This is ongoing, every week of the year.

From the Winnipeg Harvest distribution center, food is brought in, then sent out to various churches and groups who put in requests to Winnipeg Harvest. There are more than 300 of them. This food is then given to the people who give to them in their own neighbourhoods. There is a lot of need in this city of close to 700,000 people.

The workers, whether paid or volunteer, have to gather the food from outside businesses. They have a receiving dock in the inner court if the grounds. From the receiving dock, food and other items have to be sorted in a sorting room.

Perishables and everything else, needs to be sorted and distributed in a timely manner. Perishables have to be distributed to citywide food programs quickly. Winnipeg Harvest is primarily a gathering and redistribution center for other people and organizations, like citywide churches and food programs. The service they provide is invaluable. Without them there would be a lot more anguish and need, in the city of Winnipeg.

This is no small task, with the amount of food and non perishable items that come through their delivery docks. Consideration is given to people with children. Sometimes they are able to provide things like diapers and milk. They also get personal care and household care items donated. Everything is needed. Every donation, big or small, is appreciated and well used.

What is donated to Winnipeg Harvest, is what is available to the people who come to them for assistance. They depend on the charity and heart of others, to make this program work. They are never sure what they will be receiving. What is distributed to individuals and families, is directly related to what is donated to Winnipeg Harvest. This is truly a community program.

A couple decades ago the food that now comes to Winnipeg Harvest, would eventually have been thrown away. Now it is put to good use feeding many hungry people through Winnipeg Harvest.

Winnipeg Harvest is truly an organization, with a spirit and a warm heart. They are dedicated to helping others.

Winnipeg Harvest is located at 1085 Winnipeg Ave, in Winnipeg. Their phone number is 204 982-3663.You need to call them, to sign up for food assistance. They gladly accept donations of all kinds, and they often need volunteers.