Newark Neighbours ready for more space

Newark Neighbours has come a long way since the days when founder Peggy Anderson would be seen on her daily walk from her Butler Street home to the food bank and thrift shop that dates back to the early 1970s.

She’d be impressed and proud to see what the current volunteers have managed to do in recent years with the small barn on John Street, built with the help of volunteers in the early 1990s, and even more so with what they are about to do with their new Virgil location, which triples the space they have now.

But the reality is that although much of the new space will be dedicated to expanding the thrift shop, a much larger space is also needed for the food bank, which is being used by an increasing number of Niagara-on-the-Lake residents.

The crowded thrift shop has always been a favourite for not only locals but shoppers from across the region who like a good deal, and about a half to two-thirds of the new space will allow it to be spread out, with lots of room to move around comfortably, says Cindy Grant, chair of Newark Neighbours.

“I’m really looking forward to the new space. Our clients will be able to shop a lot easier with more room and more aisles.”

With a growing need to help those facing food insecurity, the food bank in the new location will be about double the size it is now. It will be enclosed and have a side door to ensure privacy.

And what will feel like heaven for the volunteers is a proper washroom with running water. In early years at the barn there was no washroom, but they do have an incinerator toilet now — “a fun experience sometimes, I must say,” says Grant. “There are two washrooms in the new location, but I think we’ll be making one of those rooms into a storage space.”

The thrift shop at the front and food bank to the back will be divided by a separate area for sorting items as they arrive, something Newark Neighbours doesn’t have now and desperately needs, says Grant, and there will be a small office to talk to new clients and register them for food.

Several years ago the food bank adopted the use of the Canadian government’s low-income guidelines, and new clients are asked for proof of income.

“If they can’t provide it, but explain why they’re in need, we’d never turn anyone away,” says Grant. “We would if we felt there was something off about their story, but that’s never happened.”

When Anderson and a friend realized there were families in need in town in 1971, they started the food bank in a small Chautauqua storefront, and that Christmas helped 100 families, including 175 children. Many of those who were provided with food had been drawn to Niagara-on-the-Lake’s agricultural community, and were willing to work hard to support their families, often with a large number of children. Donated clothing and household goods were also available for those in need, and the barn became a favourite place for migrant farmworkers to gather on their Sunday afternoons off. Anderson would give them a large black garbage bag to fill with clothing for their families back home, for the price of $5 a bag, which helped to pay the bills for the barn.

The founder of Newark Neighbours would also be pleased to know how generous the community continues to be. In her day, when she would write letters weekly to be published in the former Niagara Advance, she would let people know what was needed. Without fail, she said, she could count on donations of the items she had asked for to arrive at the barn door.

Grant can say the same — when the food shelves are low or there are specific items that are needed, she has only to ask. “We see it time and time again.” She laughs about the call for poultry stuffing that went out before Christmas — although the shelves are getting bare even after the “incredible bounty” of food donated for the holiday, they have enough stuffing left over to get through Easter.

Although in pre-pandemic years there were typically 35 to 40 families or individuals who would be registered for help, the number has grown significantly since then.

In recent months they’ve had more than 80 families registered, and at Christmas they delivered hampers and gifts to 87 families, and a total of 139 individuals.

“The last two and a half years, we’ve more than doubled the people we serve, and every month it increases. In January, we had nine new clients.”

The reasons are many, as they have been over the years, including single mothers leaving difficult situations, students at Niagara College, and families who don’t have the income to cover the rising cost of food.

Newark Neighbours clients can pick up food every two weeks, while some of the other food banks in the region have had to cut down to once a month because of food supply and the growing need for assistance, says Grant.

“Our clients are generally very grateful for whatever we can give them,” says Grant. They are selective in what they take, “but in a good way. As they walk along the aisles they’ll say ‘no, I won’t take that, I don’t need it.’ They only take what they need.”

They can’t pick up fresh produce or milk or eggs at the barn, so instead they are given PC Cards once a month to purchase what they need, the amount depending on the number of people in the family, says Grant.

The new space can’t come soon enough for the volunteers. Grant stresses that the John Street location will remain open and accepting donations until the move, hopefully by late spring or early summer.

In the meantime, a TikTok request for food from Krista London and her son Avery has been an enormous success, and a huge amount of food is expected to arrive Wednesday — Grant can’t say enough about the youngster and his family for doing so much for Newark Neighbours.

Volunteers are also grateful for a food drive this weekend, and have a list of items most needed: jam, honey, applesauce, puddings, canned fruit, granola bars, cookies and crackers, soda crackers, cans of chili, ravioli or Chef Boyardee products, Ramen instant soups or Mr. Noodles, rice, Side Kicks, condiments, toilet paper, Kleenex, and paper towels.

The barn may be small, but they have outdoor containers for the overflow, and are grateful to be able to fill them.