Myths About The Sidney Lions Food Bank

Question: Can any person walk up to the food bank and get food, no questions asked?
Fact: All clients of the food bank must be register with us and prove they live in our area.

Question: Doesn't the food bank only need donations at Christmas time? Are they really that busy with people needing food all year round.
Fact:The food bank needs your support all year round. While everyone becomes more aware of feeding his or her fellow man over the festive season, the reality for the Food Bank is that we need help every day of every week through out the year.

Question: People who really don't need the food are always getting it (i.e. people who drive nice cars, wear nice clothes are always in line to get hampers)
Fact: The Food Bank is an emergency food service. Anybody can find themselves in financial crisis. "If you have just been laid off, would you sell your car of use it to get another job?"

Question: Only "lazy" people with no jobs get food from the Food Bank.
Fact: The majority of clients the Food Bank serves are working poor. When making minimum wage most clients have to have at least two jobs and still cannot make ends meet.

Question: The Food Bank is constantly wasting food, "I've seen food thrown out in the garbage behind the Food Bank"
Fact: The Food Bank will only distribute quality food. Our volunteers feel that if they would not eat the food; they will not give it to our clients either, so it is discarded.

Question: The Food Bank will reject food donations, "I've called to make a donation and was told it was not needed at that time."

Fact: Although the Food Bank operates from a 2,000 square foot building, storage space is at a premium and refrigeration is at a minimum. Though storage is small, we try very hard not to reject donations, but from time to time we have little choice.

Question: The Food Bank would rather receive food donations than cash donations.
Fact: The Food Bank is most appreciative of all donations, cash helps us purchase the perishable guaranteed items that make our Food Hampers nutritionally complete.

Question: To make a donation to the Food Bank, I have to take my food and/or cash directly to the Food Bank on Ocean Avenue.
Fact: Food donations can be made at most retail grocery stores on the Peninsula. In addition, donations can be made at a variety of special events held through the city. We can a also make arrangements to pick up large donations directly from the donor.

Question: The Food Bank is a "small" operation.
Fact: The Food Bank distributes more than $410,000 in food each year - its not a small operation.