Donated food vital to Thunder Bay's Shelter House

There's a good chance that leftovers from your favourite coffee shop or grocery store in Thunder Bay land in the kitchen at Shelter House if they're not thrown out.

According to PattyHajdu, the shelter's executive director, itprovides between 650 and 700 meals per day.Hajdusaid preparing that much food requires many more staples than the shelter could afford. "Without donations, there`s just no way we could afford to do that," she said.

That's why food donations from grocery stores, coffee shops, and other businesses in town are vital. Lenny Brickell is one of several volunteer drivers who pick up the food donated from around the city.Returning to the shelter after loading the back of its van with boxes of donated food including bread, fruits and vegetableshe said there's no shortage of help.

"When I first started, we could do the entire city in one load," he said. We'regoing back to the barn right now, and we gotta go back out again and probably [pick up] the same amount or more. So it's getting great."

Brickell said drivers collect from some stores like Safeway, Metro and Tim Horton's daily, and others once or twice a week. He said some businesses alsodrop off their own donations.

The food is often at, or just past, its expiry date, or blemished and can't be sold. Provincial legislation absolves donors of any liability, putting the onus on Shelter House to ensure the food is safe.

Hajdu said the donations, and the meals they become, are important. She saidmore and more people are turning to Shelter House for a place to stay and something to eat.

She says the shelter does have about $30 thousand to spend on food, but Hajdu says most of thatgoes towards things like meat, that don't get donated often.

Brickell added that feeding thosevulnerable people is the first step in trying to help them. "A lot of them got their problems, but still if they're not alive, you can't do anything with them, you can't help 'em," he said.

"If they don't eat, they're not going to be alive."