A Barrie woman is reaching into the community to provide food boxes for low-income families over Easter.
Leah Dyck’s initiative, Fresh Food Weekly, has once again teamed up with Stone Horse Farm near Thornton to create and circulate 50 Easter food boxes to Barrie families in need. They ran a similar initiative over Christmas.
The boxes each contain a roasting chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions, broccoli, bread, butter, dessert and chocolate treat and a jar of homemade cranberry sauce.
Cookstown Greens, Alliston Creamery, Integrated Farms, E.F.T. Farms, Grandma’s Farm, Dominion Farm Produce Ltd. and Don’s Bakery of Barrie have contributed to the boxes, which are each valued at around $80.
The initiative sees donors buying the boxes at $45 each that Dyck then delivers to a family in need. Dyck said donors are still being sought.
While there are not enough boxes for all the families on her list, Dyck is reaching out to bakeries right across the region for donations so she could at least deliver treats other low-income families.
Dyck said some of the recipients are working, sometimes multiple jobs, but still aren’t able to make ends meet. Others aren’t working or have a disability and are also challenged financially.
“Food prices are insane,” said Dyck, adding that a frozen meal she purchased for $2 a year ago now costs more than $3.50.
Those wanting to buy a meal box on behalf of a low-income family can reach out to Stone Horse Farm directly.
