ON Friday, October 14, the Seva Food Bank hosted their annual Sparks Gala to thank their funders for their contributions, which have been critical to supporting their mission to combat food insecurity. Deepak Anand, MPP for Mississauga—Malton, attended the event to mark the $23,700 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF).
“This Resilient Communities fund grant to the Seva Food Bank from the OTF will have a significant impact on this community,” said Anand. “Seva Food Bank has played a crucial role in combating food insecurity in our community and, thanks to this grant, they will be able to continue their important community work.”
This grant supported the Seva Food Bank’s recovery from the COVID-19 by making it possible to engage industry experts and build capacity to leverage the advantages of digital strategies and adapt to digital fundraising patterns. This has allowed the Seva Food Bank to access new revenue streams which will speed up its recovery and ensure that it can continue its mission to alleviate food insecurity and poverty in the community.
“Diversifying sources of revenue will allow Seva to better serve low-income communities in the Peel region through services such as a grocery store model food bank, food delivery services to vulnerable individuals including seniors and Community Teaching Kitchens in Mississauga and Brampton educate our clients and community members about healthy eating, nutrition, and cooking,” said Kulvir Singh, Board Chair for the Seva Food Bank.
Vipin Saini, Executive Director for the Seva Food Bank, also highlighted the impact of COVID-19 developing new methods of fundraising, noting: “Historically the organization has focused primarily on in-person methods of attracting donors. Part of the challenge has been not having the knowledge, infrastructure or technology to implement a robust online fundraising presence that would accommodate the new patterns of giving. Support from OTF has provided us with this opportunity.”
A registered charity since 2011, Seva Food Bank’s mandate is to coordinate and deliver programs that will improve the food security needs of our clients while supporting them in their journey to self-reliance.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, last year, OTF invested nearly $209M into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Since 2020, OTF has supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
