Whitby Specialty Food Bank is searching for an indoor home before winter, warning that its outdoor operation could be forced to distribute less food if it cannot secure suitable space.
Coordinator Marcia White described the pressure on volunteers in a November 3 interview reported by CP24 and CTV News Toronto. The organization is looking for a warehouse in Whitby, or possibly Ajax, ideally offering at least 10,000 square feet through a donation or a long-term, low-cost lease.
Outdoor work puts pressure on volunteers
The food bank now operates at 801 Progress Avenue in Scarborough. Its own website confirms that address and describes a service designed to support people with special dietary needs, including gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan, vegetarian and diabetic-friendly food options.
Although the distribution location is outside Durham, the organization has its roots in Whitby and serves families across the region. The search for a new local home is therefore a direct concern for Durham residents and community partners who rely on its work.
In the CP24 report, White said volunteers, many of them seniors, were struggling with the prospect of another winter exposed to outdoor conditions. Losing volunteers would affect the food bank’s ability to keep operating at its current level.
Search focuses on Whitby or Ajax
CP24 reports that the organization continued distributing food after leaving its former space at Kendalwood Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Whitby in 2023. It currently serves families and other organizations through the Scarborough operation.
The latest appeal is for a suitable indoor base rather than an announcement that a lease has been signed. No new address or moving date has been confirmed in the reporting.
Organizers told CP24 that a larger indoor space could also support a community kitchen and skills-training workshops. Those are ambitions tied to finding appropriate premises, not services announced as newly open.
Residents or property owners who may be able to help can find current contact information through the Whitby Specialty Food Bank website. People seeking food assistance should consult the organization’s own service information rather than assume the proposed move has already happened.
Sources
- Whitby Specialty Food Bank: services and current location
- CP24/CTV News: November 3 reporting and interview with coordinator Marcia White
Featured image: original editorial illustration, not documentary photography.
