SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has donated $1. 45 million to a Toronto food bank for others facing food insecurity.
The donation, in the amount of 2 million Canadian dollars, was donated to the Daily Bread Food Bank of Toronto, the largest food bank in Canada. The donation was announced Monday through Executive Director Neil Hetherington.
The food bank thanked the church for its “transformative” donation on an occasion Monday and said the donation would ensure Torontonians have nutritious and culturally appropriate food.
“$2 million, which means about 2 million food distributed to the community. This means we can acquire two new trucks that will allow us to ensure that each and every Torontonian can have access to delicious and decent food,” said Hetherington.
Visits to food banks have reached “alarming levels,” leaving about 1 in 10 people living in Toronto facing a lack of trust in food and having to rely on food banks, according to a church representative.
Daily Bread Food Bank receives about 350,000 visits monthly, up from 65,000 visits before the pandemic. The organization can serve about 1,000 families in a few hours.
The food bank’s annual spending increased from $1. 08 million to more than $15. 9 million to meet developing demand.
“This will replace the game; it’s going to change lives,” Rep. James Maloney said at the occasion Monday. “On behalf of everyone here and everyone who unfortunately wants the Daily Bread Food Bank, thank you, thank you, thank you. “
Elder Davis LaFrance, a regional Church Seventy, said it is vital to follow the example of Jesus Christ for those in need.
“This donation to the Daily Bread Food Bank is part of our larger efforts to provide and help in the spaces where we live. Our motivation is to serve others and help those in need and to follow our Christian ideals to do so. In fact, we are grateful for the glorious paintings that are being made here at Daily Bread,” he said.
During Monday’s event, volunteers cared for about 1,000 pounds of food and made food deliveries with trucks from the Daily Bread Food Bank.
This donation is the largest monetary donation the Church of Jesus Christ has ever made to Canada.