Equine enthusiasts raised close to $500 for the Ontario Association of Food Banks at the Ontario Equestrian Federation Member Appreciation Party held yesterday at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, marking the second year the two organizations have worked together to help those in need.
“It’s terribly sad to think there are people in this province who don’t have enough to eat,” says Dianne Graham, the executive director of the Ontario Equestrian Federation. “The Ontario Equestrian Federation and its members wanted to do something to make a difference in the lives of those who struggle to put food on their tables.”
The provincial representative for food banks in the province, the Ontario Association of Food Banks is a network of 120 food banks that support over 1,100 hunger relief programs and agencies across the province. Together they serve nearly 400,000 individuals, including 148,000 children, every month.
“Thanks to the generosity of the OEF and its members, the OAFB will be able to distribute over 1,400 meals across this province with the funds raised last night,” says Erin Fotheringham, development and operations coordinator with the Ontario Association of Food Banks. “There are over 412,000 individuals acrossOntariosuffering from chronic hunger, and as we move into the holiday season, this number will rise. We are so thankful for contributions like these, because they really help us work towards solving hunger inOntario.”