Cambridge Food Bank CEO says they need more space to keep up with demand

The Cambridge Food Bank is looking for a new facility as their current location can’t keep up with the demand. CTV’s Spencer Turcotte reports.

They are running out of room at the Cambridge Food Bank, and the situation is only expected to escalate.

The organization has outgrown its space at a time of skyrocketing demand.

“Every day here at the Cambridge Food Bank is like playing Tetris,” said CEO Dianne McLeod, as she shifted around crates of food.

After 24 years at their Ainslie Street South location, she says it’s time to move on.

“The main challenge we’re facing here is the increased number of people coming in and the volume of food that’s required to serve those people,” said McLeod.

When they moved there, the food bank was distributing about 200,000 pounds of food every year. Now, that number has ballooned to well over one-million pounds.

“Just four years ago, we were serving between 600 and 800 families a month and now we’re serving 2,100 families a month,” McLeod said.

She says the size and layout of the building is no longer efficient – especially with how much food they’re now bringing in.

“But we don’t have a lot of places to put it so we need to move it from room to room about five times before it gets out the door,” says McLeod. “The other problem is our community hamper room is so small. It serves, at most, three people at a time and that’s pretty crowded.”

The food bank has four years left on their lease, but McLeod says they need to make a move much sooner. It’s something they saw coming about five years ago when city councillor Scott Hamilton was on the board.

“It’s been clear for some time that a new facility with a proper orientation and layout would be advantageous,” said Hamilton.

While city staff want to help and are committed to finding a solution, a spokesperson tells CTV News there aren’t any vacant buildings in Cambridge that work.

“City staff have been advising them on zoning requirements in their search for a new location and are keeping an eye on potential properties should they come into the open market. While there are no vacant city-owned spaces, we are committed to working with them to find a solution and encourage property owners who may have a suitable space to come forward if they are able to help,” the email reads, in part.

Hamilton echoes that it’s not as easy as just picking any building.

“[Making] sure all those kind of municipal guidelines are set up and operating properly,” he added.

The food bank is now appealing for help, and funding will be needed too.

“We need something at least 25,000 ft², on a bus route is really important. And has the ability to have a loading dock, said McLeod, listing some things a future building would need.

They are requirements they need to fulfill, in order to keep bellies full across the city.