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People who use food banks are the same as you and me.” – Gail Nyberg, executive director of the Daily Bread Food Bank
Debunking
the food bank myth LISA RAINFORD lrainford@insidetoronto.com There exists a myth that those who rely on food banks are lazy or have made bad choices. This is absolutely not the case, stress leaders in the fight against hunger, not only in Toronto, but across the country. “People who use food banks are the same as you and me. They’re people who have experienced job loss, sickness, or mental breakdown. It can happen to any of us,” said Gail Nyberg, executive director of the Daily Bread Food Bank, the largest provider of food relief in the Greater Toronto Area. “We’re here to give them a hand while they’re down and get them back on their feet.” The Etobicoke-based distribution centre that provides food and resources to as many as 200 food programs across Toronto distributes 600,000 hampers
a month to its member agencies – one third of those in need are children, Nyberg said. The registered charity’s latest ‘Who’s Hungry’ report that looks at the past year will be released in September. “We know we’re starting to see a dramatic increase (in food bank use). This replicates what we’re seeing in the economy: precarious jobs, part-time and contract; retail outlets closing and plants shutting down,” Nyberg said. People who have lost their jobs typically don’t fall into dire straights immediately, particularly if they qualify for Employment Insurance. Food banks are accessible once a week to receive two to three days’ worth of food for each member of the family. “We’re in our lean time now, too. We don’t get a lot of donations,” Nyberg said. >>>straining, page 8
Staff/MeTrOland
Ryan Noble is the executive director of the North York Harvest Food Bank. Right now, there is an increasing demand for food bank services in the city.
More info on Scarborough hospital merger plans ‘imminent’ MIKE ADLER madler@insidetoronto.com With their proposed mergers less than two months away, hospitals in Scarborough and Durham Region are still working on how to communicate with the public about their plans. Ontario Health Minister Dr.
Eric Hoskins in April directed The Scarborough Hospital to merge with Rouge Valley Health System’s Centenary campus. Following advice from a hand-picked panel, Hoskins also told Lakeridge Health in Durham to absorb Rouge Valley’s Ajax campus, effectively breaking up the RVHS.
Boards of the three hospitals have already approved the mergers, which are on track to take place by Nov. 1, and would affect 10,000 employees and 2,000 doctors. But at a meeting on Aug. 24, directors of the Central East Local Health Integration Network noted they had seen
no plans to discuss the mergers with residents and other stakeholders. The LHIN, which must give both integrations its stamp of approval, told the hospitals it expected a schedule for communications and consultations by mid-September. TSH CEO Robert Biron later
said the release of a community engagement plan, which would include a website to explain the mergers and accept comments, was “imminent.” On Tuesday, Mark Rochon, appointed a special advisor by Hoskins to facilitate the mergers, said the hospitals hope >>>WEBsitE, page 24
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