Salvation Army Food Bank Offers Home Delivery Service

If your cupboards are bare and you can’t access a food bank, The Salvation Army’s home food delivery program in Windsor, Ont., is ensuring that you won’t go hungry.

“We don’t want people in our community to lack resources”

“We don’t want people in our community to lack resources,” says Major Paul Rideout, executive director of The Salvation Army’s community services. “If people are in need of food and can’t get to us, we bring it to them.”

The service, which has been in place for five years, helps vulnerable people who can’t access the food bank due to mobility or transportation issues. After COVID-19 hit, the organization learned that more and more people needed food assistance due to isolation, fear and poverty.

“Ramping up the food delivery service was an intent to live out our mission of giving hope, while practicing safety protocols of the pandemic,” says Rideout. “We’ve had people call to say they have four days of food left,” says Rideout. “Many have lost their job, unemployment insurance has run out, or they are choosing between rent and putting food on the table. Others battle with chronic illness or mental health issues.

“If people are in need of food and can’t get to us, we bring it to them”

Rideout says the only criteria for assistance is that food is scarce, and hunger is a reality.

“We want to ensure that our neighbours and friends in need have food,” says Rideout. “Hunger shouldn’t be an issue in our country, but unfortunately it is.

“We receive a lot of love throughout the year financially and want to reach out to people who require our help in a safe and meaningful way,” he continues. “Delivering food to people who want to remain in their homes is one way we can show our love back to the community. We wave, say God bless you, and we are here if you need us.”

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