Our Food Bank

Coming to St. Peter’s Food Bank? Some Information You Need to Know

• Identification is required for each visit.

• If you are a newcomer to the Food Bank, please bring the following information:

  1. Photo identification of yourself and any family members living with you that will be receiving food assistance.

  2. Documents (letters, bills etc.) showing  residency of adult household members in south Oshawa.

  3. Statement of average monthly income if possible.

The Market Style Food Bank

St. Peter’s Food Bank is set up in a market style. This allows our Food Bank users to choose items that best fit their needs and their family’s. The market style also allows St. Peter’s Food Bank to accurately know what products are most needed by our neighbours. As well, the market style creates opportunities for our community to get to know each other better as we share our stories, food recipes and chat about special dietary needs (e.g. vegan/vegetarian, Halal, food allergies, etc.)   

Our resources are very limited and we may not always have the same products available all the time. As well, depending on availability and demand we may run out of items. We ask that Food Bank users take only what they need, remembering to share equally with their neighbours who may also be in need.

Visiting St. Peter’s Food Bank

• Upon arrival you will be handed a ticket, please take a seat in the church and you will be called by number to register for that week. Please have your IDs and documentation with you.

• After registration please go down the stairs to the parish hall.

• At the end of the hall is the Dairy and Frozen Food section. After that please visit the Personal Care Department, the fresh fruit and veggies table, and the Pantry for canned and non-perishable goods.

• If you are unable to go downstairs to shop for yourself a shopping list is provided on your ticket to choose your items and a volunteer will get your items for you.

• Assistance is gladly provided for anyone who needs help getting their groceries up the stairs. Please let the volunteers know if you need a little help.

• All children must be attended by their parents or guardians.

• Unfortunately, St. Peter’s Food Bank is unable to provide emergency assistance between hours of operation. Please click this link for other local Food Banks.

Our Generous Donors

St. Peter’s gratefully receives the generous help from many anonymous individuals and the following groups listed below. With their help St. Peter’s Food Bank can make a difference in our community. Our heartfelt thanks and appreciation goes out to all of them! 

• Bobby Orr Public School

• Cobbs Bakery

• Feed the Need Durham

• Freshco

• Northern Dancer Public School

• Saurashtra Leuva Patel Samaj Canada

• St. Matthew’s Anglican Church

• Unifor Canada

How Can You Help?

If you or your group, work place, church or organization could help out St. Peter’s Food Bank, let us know. Perhaps your organization could help out in the following ways:

• A  food drive

• A permanent food basket in place. 

• Take up a collection at special times of the year (e.g. Thanksgiving and Christmas)

• Fundraise small amounts throughout the year - a little adds up to a lot in a year.

• Pass on ideas or connections to new food funding sources or sponsorship.

• Attend Food Bank, food fundraising events held by our sponsors.  

Our Mission and Guiding Principles

Our ultimate vision is to see food banks disappear by advocating for the implementation of fair wages, good social, health and child development services, relevant education, training and job creation. But until this just and equitable society (as reflected in the Gospels) is made real, these are our guiding mission and principles at St. Peter’s Food Bank…

• St. Peter’s Food Bank is an extension of the wider mission and vision of St. Peter’s Anglican Church to serve Christ and to “Feed God’s People”. 

• As an extension of St. Peter’s mission and according to our Baptismal promises we seek to serve Christ himself by serving others. Jesus said, “I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink … I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.” This is our primary guiding principle. Each person who comes to our doors will be welcomed as Christ himself.

• For most of our neighbours the Food Bank volunteers are the face of St. Peter’s church. May they see the compassion of Christ reflected in us. “Let us share the Gospel of Christ everywhere. Only use words if necessary.”- (attributed to St. Francis.)

• Faithful to our Baptismal promises we will respect the dignity of every human being. We will listen to the stories and concerns in people’s lives. We will not elevate ourselves to places of power nor put ourselves in the judgement seat of peoples’ life choices, lifestyles or history. Any personal information shared by our neighbours will always be kept in strictest confidence.

• We believe in building relationships with our neighbours. We will work to make St. Peter’s more than a building for a food distribution centre. We will work to ensure our church is a safe and welcoming place where we can build relationships of trust for the betterment of our community as a whole.

• We believe in the power of community and will welcome and encourage our neighbours to help their fellow neighbours by volunteering at St. Peter’s Food Bank. Many people are eager to “give back” to St. Peter’s and their community. We believe everyone has talents and abilities to offer.

• We will not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic, mental or physical health status.  

• We will seek to ensure the equitable distribution of our limited resources with all people we serve at the same time attempting to resolving issues that may arise with creativity, empathy and discretion.

• We will administer St. Peter’s Food Bank with integrity, honestly and transparency and in accordance with all secular and canon laws, agreements and contracts with our community partners and benefactors.