Clarington East Food Bank

10/30/2026

Ever wondered what happens to the box of cans after your food drive ends? 📦
Every item gets checked, sorted and shelved by hand, mostly by our amazing volunteers. Sadly, about 10% of food drive donations arrive expired or damaged and can't go out.
That's why we put together a guide to running a food drive that really helps: when to hold it (hint: summer and spring are when our shelves run low), what we need most, how to register, and why a fund drive can turn every $1 into $2 worth of fresh food.
Thinking of rallying your office, class, team or street? Read the full post https://claringtoneastfoodbank.ca/blog/ and give us a call at 905-987-1418. 💛

10/27/2026

Thank you to MPP David Piccini and Amanda King of Feed Ontario for visiting Clarington East Food Bank. Good conversations about Ontario Works and what our neighbours need. 💚

10/24/2026

💛🛒 SHOP FOR YOUR FAMILY AND GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY! 🛒💛

Heading to FreshCo this weekend? Consider picking up a few extra items for your local food bank! 💚

🧀 Kraft Dinner — $9.99 for a 12-pack 🍝 Classico Pasta Sauce — $2.97 each

These pantry staples are great options to donate and can help make mealtime a little easier for a family in need. ❤️

💕 A little extra in your cart can make a BIG difference on someone’s table.

If you’re shopping this weekend, consider grabbing a pack of Kraft Dinner or a jar (or two!) of Classico pasta sauce for your local food bank.

Thank you for helping spread kindness in our community! 🥫🤝

Donations can be put in our bins at No Frills or Foodland or on Tues and Thurs at the foodbank.

10/23/2026

37% of the people we serve are children.

Food Banks Canada’s HungerCount 2026 report found that children make up 32.5% of food bank clients across the country. Here in our community, Newcastle, Orono, Newtonville and Kendal, that number is even higher. At Clarington East Food Bank, 37% of the people we serve are children. That’s more than 1 in 3.

Kids can’t learn, play or grow on an empty stomach. Your support helps make sure local families have healthy food on the table.

Here’s how you can help:
🥫 Donate food or host a food drive
💵 Make a financial donation
🙋 Share this post to raise awareness

Every child deserves reliable access to nutritious food. 💚

📖 Read the full HungerCount 2026 report from Food Banks Canada: https://foodbankscanada.ca/hunger-in-canada/hungercount/

10/23/2026

What a fun event Jungle Cat World Wildlife Park this weekend! Check it out.

Prowl at the Park 2026 is only a few days away! If you're planning on joining us this Saturday, make sure you have everything you need with our handy event checklist:

✅ Flashlight | While we have lights throughout the park, some areas will be darker than others as the evening goes on. A flashlight will help you navigate after the sun sets. 🔦 Parents, please be mindful of how your little ones are using them around the animals. Try not to disturb them and please avoid shining lights directly into their eyes.

✅ A fun costume | Not mandatory, but highly encouraged! Wear your best costume and really get into the Halloween spirit. 👻

✅ Treat bag | This event is every trick-or-treater's dream! 🍬 Bring a treat bag or basket to collect candy from our handout stations throughout the park.

✅ Warm clothes | This event is mostly outdoors and it will get cooler as the night goes on. We have some indoor areas, free hot drinks and a bonfire at the campgrounds to help, but a jacket or extra layer is a must! 🧥

✅ A donation | We're running a food drive for the Clarington East Food Bank and every little bit counts. Please consider bringing a non-perishable food or hygiene item to donate. 🥫 Check out their current wishlist here: https://claringtoneastfoodbank.ca/wish-list-2/

Haven't grabbed your tickets yet? We strongly recommend purchasing in advance, though tickets will also be available at the door. 🎟 Get yours here: https://junglecatworld.com/tickets.html

See you Saturday—it's going to be a HOWLING good time! 🐺

10/22/2026

A huge THANK YOU to The Yardbird and Kent Farms 🍎. Proceeds from this year’s Dinners in the Orchard raised $2,500 for Clarington East Food Bank. That’s a big help for families in our community. We’re so grateful to everyone who pulled up a chair and shared a meal for a great cause! ❤️

10/19/2026

💚 Our volunteers are always learning, growing, and making a difference! 💚

Today, our amazing volunteers took time out of their busy schedules to learn more about Food Safety and Busting Date-Label Myths because keeping food safe and making the most of every donation go hand in hand! 🥫🍎

At Clarington East Food Bank, we are incredibly proud of the people who give their time, energy, and hearts to support our Neighbours. Their commitment goes beyond stocking shelves and helping with food distribution. It’s about making sure the food we share is safe, reducing unnecessary food waste, and treating every Neighbour with dignity and care. 💚

A huge THANK YOU to our volunteers for showing up, asking questions, and continuing to learn. You are such an important part of what makes our food bank special!

👏 Let’s celebrate our volunteers! Leave a 💚 in the comments to show them some love, or tell us: What’s one thing a volunteer has done that made a difference in your community?

10/16/2026

Today is 🌎 and we want to talk about hunger right here at home.

In 2025, 662 people turned to Clarington East Food Bank. This year, it's 820.

And 1 in 3 of them had never needed a food bank before. Last year, it was 1 in 5. 📈

Across Ontario, 1 in 3 people at a food bank is a child, and 1 in 4 has a job.

These are our neighbours. The family down the street. The senior on a fixed income. The parent working full-time who still comes up short at the end of the month.

Food banks can't fix this alone. Ontario's municipal election is October 26, so when candidates come to your door, ask them: "What will you do about food insecurity in Clarington?" 🗳️

Want to help today? Donate, volunteer, or just share this post. Every bit of it matters. 💛

Read the full post on our blog https://claringtoneastfoodbank.ca/blog/ 👆

10/13/2026

💚 A huge thank you to Clarington Physiotherapy Health & Wellness Centre for their incredible generosity and support!

Your Thanksgiving food drive of over 115 pounds of food, helps us support individuals and families right here in our community. 🥫💚

We are so grateful to your clients, practitioners, and front desk team for thinking of our neighbours in need. Community support like yours makes a real difference! 🧡

Thank you for being part of a caring Clarington community!💚

💚 THANK YOU, CLARINGTON! 💚

Our hearts are full of gratitude! 🥫💚 Thanks to the generosity of our amazing clients, practitioners, and front desk team, we collected over 115 pounds of food for our Thanksgiving food drive!

This year’s collection was proudly donated to the Clarington East Food Bank in Newcastle, helping support individuals and families in our community. 🧡

We are so grateful to everyone who donated and helped make this food drive a success. It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we come together! Thank you for making a difference in our community. 🫶

10/13/2026

September by the numbers 📊

771 visits. 183 households. 549 neighbours, including 206 children and 67 seniors. And 1 in 5 of our households are working but still can’t make ends meet.

Behind every number is a neighbour in Newcastle, Orono, Newtonville, Kendal or Kirby. Thank you to the volunteers and donors who make every visit possible. 💚