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About the Quinte Region Food Share Shelter

In 2001 the Quinte Region Food Share Shelter (QRFSS) was formed. It is a registered charity #872934716 RR000. Food Bank Canada introduced this initiative to ensure rural food banks could access food at a central warehouse and reduce shipping cost. The QRFSS is a collective of 9 area food banks that address the needs of many families and individuals in need throughout the Tri-County Region. This regions includes food banks, meal programs and non-profit agencies in the following counties: Hastings, Prince Edward and Northumberland. The QRFSS is also a member of the Canadian & Ontario Association of Food Banks. Food banks are located in Brighton, Belleville, Loyalist College, Madoc, Mamora, Picton, Stirling and Wellington. The QRFSS member food banks meet quarterly to discuss daily operations, fundraising and for fellowship.

The largest food bank in this collective is Gleaners Food Bank of Belleville. Gleaners set up the Tri-County Food Network Warehouse to ensure donated food could be delivered to this region. This warehouse serves the QRFSS members, community meal program, school snack programs, and 150 non-profit agencies.

Rural food banks throughout this region enable many of  community members to stay in their rural homes. Rural communities face many challenges today and we must ensure families who need help do not need to migrate to cities. The Rural Economic Development Program must send a strong message that they will support initiatives to enable people on fixed incomes can remain their rural communities.

For many years each food bank shared the cost of warehouse staff and operational cost. These costs have been reduced to the Food Banks Membership only $200 as Gleaners has successfully purchased the Tri-County Warehouse in 2007 for $505,000. Through yearly Capital Campaign Gleaners Tri-County Galas the mortgage has been reduced to $49,000.

On August 15th 2009 MPP Leona Dombrowsky visited the Tri-County Food Network Warehouse. She witnessed Picton Food Bank’s monthly food pick-up of food supplies at the Tri-County Warehouse. Our MPP was very surprised to see the pick-up truck filled to capacity. Rural food banks rely on 70% of their food supplies to operate their community food banks. .

QRFSS Members

Ontario Association of Food Banks &
Food Banks Canada Food Drives & Fundraising Events