North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre ensures no one goes without food

September 10, 2020
North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre staff pitch in to pack boxes of food during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. From left: Andrew Smith (Urban Aboriginal Healthy Living Kids Program), Shelly Storie-Gregoire (Community Councillor Probation), Roger Assiniwe (Cultural Resource Coordinator) and Steve Guilbeault (Employment Councillor). – Photo supplied

By Kelly Anne Smith

NORTH BAY— The North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre wants everyone to have enough food during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic crisis.

The centre is offering a temporary food bank. The lead on the Food Security Program is Cultural Resource Coordinator Roger Assiniwe. He explains that anyone having a tough time can go to the North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre to sign up.

“It’s to help the urban Indigenous community through the time of the COVID. People that may have been laid-off or lost their jobs. We are helping families within the Indigenous community with a little bit of non-perishable food items to get them through these hard times.”

Assiniwe says that depending on family size, gift cards are included to purchase milk, eggs and bread.

Assiniwe says the need continues to grow for the Food Security Program, which has been operating since June 25.

“Every week it’s growing. Our first week started with 28 families. Now we’re seeing 80 families or more. We have assisted about 150 families,” he explains. “We’re servicing people who are struggling— the homeless and families who have lost jobs.”

A North Bay food distributor delivers the food to the NBIFC and staff put together the baskets available for pick-up on Thursdays between 1 pm and 4 pm.

With federal funding, the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres Reaching Home COVID Relief Fund assists with the Food Security Program.

Assiniwe says there is a need and wishes the program continues.

“We provide a sense of comfort. They really enjoy that,” Assiniwe notes. “We provide a safe place to talk. We are all human. Don’t feel ashamed.”

If interested in the Food Security Program, access the side door of the NBIFC building on Fifth Street to sign up or pick up is on Thursdays from 1 pm-4 pm. With safety measures, only one person at a time can enter the NBIFC on Cassells Street. It is open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. If you can, please bring proof of a North Bay residence such as a utility, cable or phone bill or a driver’s license.