Feed the Need in Durham opens second day per week due to community demand

Starting today (February 14), the market-style food bank at Iroquois Park Sports Centre has expanded its operations from one to two days per week, providing even more people with an accessible, dignified, and equitable way to access free food bank services and healthy food options in a community setting.

The change is being made to better address significant community need at the Whitby location, with the existing 160 pre-booked time slots to visit The Market each week consistently filling in less than two minutes. Going forward, a combined total of 260 slots will now be offered.  

The market is operated by Feed the Need in Durham (FTND), supported by volunteers and the Town of Whitby to address food insecurity in the community.

How to Access the Food Bank

Pre-registration is required to access the free ‘shopping-style’ experience at The Market located at Iroquois Park Sports Centre (500 Victoria Street West). First-time registration can be done at The Market each Thursday or Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. First-time registrants will receive a client ID from FTND that can be used to book future shopping experiences. Once you receive a client ID, it can be used to access online booking, which opens each Friday at 10 a.m. for the following week and will remain open until all shopping spots are filled.

In response to significant community need and FTND’s commitment to ensuring sufficient food availability, 260 booking spots will now be offered per week for families or individuals. Should spots be filled, free pre-packaged food bags will be offered at The Market during hours of operation to anyone in need of food.

Instead of putting a pre-selected food hamper in someone’s hands, registered visitors can move freely through the space, browsing the shelves and choosing the foods that best meet their families’ needs. All food is provided to visitors at no cost. In addition to providing a variety of choices for visitors, The Market at Iroquois Park Sports Centre will allow access to more fresh and frozen foods, like meat and produce, in addition to non-perishables, to be shared with those seeking support; this empowers visitors to meet their unique dietary needs and family preferences. With extended evening availability, the market meets rising demand and helps fill current gaps in local food bank services.

How to Support the Food Bank

Addressing food insecurity is a community effort. There are several ways that community members can help support The Market:

Donate Funds: make a monetary donation to FTND online or over the phone at 905.571.3863. The donation line is staffed from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday each week, or you can leave a voicemail, and a member of the team will get back to you.

Donate Food: You can drop off non-perishable food donations at Iroquois Park Sports Centre (500 Victoria Street West) in Whitby during facility operating hours or at the FTND warehouse (371A Marwood Drive) in Oshawa, Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A list of most needed items can be found here.

Volunteer: complete an online volunteer application form to help support The Market.

Quick Facts

• Working with partners to address food security concerns is a key action item of Whitby’s new Community Strategic Plan.
• The 2022 Price of Eating Well in Durham Region report found that many families are struggling to afford a sufficient and healthy diet, with 15 percent of households categorized as food insecure, which means they either worry about running out of food, settle for lower quality food, or miss meals altogether.
• Feed the Need in Durham has reported that between April 2023 and March 2024, there were:
  • 72,837 visits to food banks in Whitby (a 7% increase from the previous year) 
  • 8,695 unique Whitby food bank clients (a 20% increase from the previous year)

More Information

For more information on how the Town is working with partners to support those in need, visit whitby.ca/CommunitySupports.

For media inquiries, contact:

Erin Mikaluk, Manager, Communications and Creative Services,
Town of Whitby
Phone: 289.314.6913; Email: mikaluke@whitby.ca