Located at 272 Vine Street corner of Carlton Street, St. Catharines, ON L2M 4T3

St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank at St. Alfred Church

Registered Charity since 1978 - 100% Volunteer Run: sites.google.com/view/vincentalfred

in 2025 meeting the needs of clients more than 50,000 times (42,000 in 2024)

THANKS FOR your HELP: Donate Now

FROM A CLIENT: "They were caring, patient, listened.. I felt really cared about. thank you and your church for everything that you guys do. Thank you so much for getting caring people to run and operate the food bank. Thank you again… so much. St Alfred. I will never forget the kind, caring, people who work there."

FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAMPERS: "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to go to camp. I had a fun time canoeing, camping outside and swimming." and "Thank you for the opportunity to go to the camp. I really liked it there. It was really fun."

UPCOMING EVENTS

MEETING DATES (all at 1:30 pm): Mar 18, Apr 15, May 20, June 17 <<< NOTE NEW START TIME

HOURS

Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) 9 am to 11 am

IMMEDIATE NEEDS: Peanut butter, Cheez Whiz, Jam, Kraft Dinner, Canned Chili & Stews, Diapers #4 & #5

BEST BEFORE DATES: CLICK to watch a Global News article on BB Dates

CLIENT SERVICES

AVERAGE # MOUTHS PROVIDED WITH FOOD (January 2025 Snapshot)

Tuesday - Friday Fruit, Veggies, Baked Goods = 114 per day

Monday – Friday thru VOUCHERS = 33 per day

Monday Market – 165 per Monday

Fruit, Vegetables and Baked Goods/Breads are available daily until gone .

Vouchers and food boxes are available to registered clients every 2 months who live within the geographical area served by St. Alfred Church. The food box contains a selection of basic grocery items including proteins, grains and vegetables. We often have limited supplies of personal care items such as baby products, toiletries, dog/cat food, etc. for registered clients. Registered clients must provide the following upon each visit to receive the voucher and food box:

Picture ID for the registered client
Proof of address, in print or on a phone, dated within the last 2 months to include name, address and date . e.g. utility bill, pay stub, prescription receipt, government income statements, etc. (Driver’s licence cannot be used as proof of address but can be used as picture ID)
St. Vincent de Paul numbered card (some clients may not have this and so may need another copy provided to them)
For the first visit of each new year, proof of all persons living with the registered client must be provided.

CHRISTMAS BOX DISTRIBUTION

The Food Bank works with Community Care to provide 400 Christmas boxes to 200 individuals and families throughout the area. Each receives a box of canned/dry foods and a box of fresh fruit and vegetables. This event will be held December 19-20, 2025. Thanks to the many volunteers and donors who make this possible.

MERRY CHRISTMAS: MAKE a CHRISTMAS DONATION by purchasing one of these boxes for a food bank client now . . . CLICK HERE & provide your contact information for a TAX RECEIPT. Indicate in the message area that this is for a CHRISTMAS FOOD BOX. Your $100 purchase provides a client with well over $100 in food value!

Stockings of Love 2025 providing essentials for seniors. Connect with them on their Facebook page.

Many Thanks to the Filipino Golf Association for their $1000 Donation! AMAZING help for so many people! Nov 2025

Volunteers filling over 400 boxes of food for Christmas 2025!

VID_20251225_132506.mp4

CLICK the video to watch Canadian Martyrs School Food Drive 2025: It was all donated to our Food Bank!!! Many thanks to all at Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary School

SOCKS FOR CHANGE

The Socks For Change organization regularly provides the Food Bank with various winter wear items, including toques, socks, gloves, neck warmers, etc. for distribution to clients throughout the cold weather. Please support this organization.

THANKS to the ROTARY CLUB OF ST CATHARINES for their very generous donation of $2000. Mike Britton is shown making the presentation on April 15, 2025.

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to RENO and NICOLA of Pete's Pizza, for their 2023 and 2024 amazing food bank fundraising events celebrating over 40 years in business.

Pete's Pizza

DONATIONS

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me"

Financial donations are appreciated as this allows for purchase of the most needed foods at bulk purchase prices. Donations can be made at the parish office, at the food bank and in the foyer after each Mass. Donation envelopes can be used which allow for a charitable donation tax receipt to be issued. If you wish to mail in a donation, a cheque can be sent to: St Vincent de Paul, 272 Vine St., St. Catharines ON L2M 4T3. Include your name and address to receive a tax receipt.

YOU CAN MAKE AN ELECTRONIC DONATION NOW

An E-Transfers is an easy way to make a donation to the food bank located at St. Alfred Church.

1) Go online to your bank account and choose "Interac Transfer". Select a recipient. The first time you will have to "Add Recipient" by typing stvincentdepaul.donations@gmail.com

2) Input the amount to send and complete the transaction. To receive an Income Tax Receipt include your name and address in the Message section.

Food donations and dry goods can be left at the food bank during open hours and in the collection bins in the Church foyer. In lieu of gifts, people often ask for food donations at birthday events, anniversaries and other social gatherings. We also value donations of personal care items such as baby products, toiletries, dog/cat food, etc. Farm and garden donations are most welcome. Ongoing Needs include: Peanut Butter, Cheez Whiz, cereal, tuna, canned vegetables, Kraft Dinner, soup, pasta and pasta sauce, canned beans, canned stews/chili.

School and Other Food Drives are a very important source of food donations. Use the contact information below to make appropriate arrangements. Please use our donation barrels, located near exit doors, at various grocery stores in North St. Catharines. You can purchase and leave various food items here for our volunteers to pickup. You will also see pre-packaged bags of groceries that can be purchased for donation at Sobey's and Food Basics.

Corporate Donors provide the Food Bank with many food items on a daily, weekly and yearly basis. Our current donors include Purolator, Sobey's, Zehrs, COSTCO, E.D. Smith, Érablière Raynald Paquin Maple Syrup, Food Basics , Warner's Farms, Colonial Florists (van der Zalm Family), Pete's Pizza Pleasant Avenue, Silverline Group Inc., Post Cereals , The BRIDGE Food Recovery, Children's Charity, Cityserve, Stockings of Love, Fresh Food Hub/Open Arms Mission, ToolBox Project Niagara and United Way Niagara. Please support our donors. Érablière Raynald Paquin donates Grade A Quebec maple syrup to the food bank each year. You can support the food bank by purchasing this at $60 for a case of 8 cans or $8 per single can - makes great gifts for teachers, family, friends, etc.

Community Giveaway Nov 6 2025 at Harriet Tubman School

Dec 5, 2024: A GREAT BIG THANKS TO ALL EMPLOYEES OF SILVERLINE GROUP INC. for their kind and generous donation of food at this time. This will help so many of our clients have a much better Christmas this year.

UNPACKING AND SHELVING SCHOOL DONATIONS - MARCH 10 2023

MANY THANKS TO TOOLBOX NIAGARA - James Symons donating TOOLBOX Care Kits - Dec 2024.

MEETING SCHEDULE (for all volunteers)

Meetings NEW start time at 1:30 pm - we encourage members to attend as we need your input . . .

Mar 18, Apr 15, May 20, June 17

Food Bank Volunteers helping out at the Community Giveaway at New Hope Church August 30, 2025. AND volunteers helping distribute food at Connaught Elementary School during a pop up food bank event Oct 23, 2025. Most food not given away was sent to our Food Bank.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Call 905-934-9703 during open hours and ask for the Food Bank

President: Mary Little

Vice President: Dennis Munn

Treasurer: Chris Richardson

Secretary: Marg Ives

Computer & FileMaker Database: Rick Hatrick

Volunteer Coordinator: Lorna Toye

Inventory & Website: Dennis Munn

Cityserve Lead: Terry Gorton

Volunteer Application Forms: St. Alfred Parish Office - click HERE for more information on how to become a volunteer in the Food Bank

Our food bank mission is to welcome and serve all individuals and families in need, without regard to race, creed, gender, religion, or age. As an inclusive organization, we welcome and support everyone, providing food and assistance to all who come to us with dignity and respect.

The Bridge Food Recovery Donation June 8 2025

GIGANTIC THANKS to St Alfred School for 5 shopping carts overflowing with food donations in November 2025

A BIG THANKS to St. Alfred School Grades 1 & 2 for their 2025 Easter Cereal Food Drive and to Assumption and Canadian Martyrs Schools for their amazing food drives!

PLEASE PATRONIZE OUR CORPORATE DONORS