RELEASE: Leons Furniture Ltd. Helps Feed The Community

Leon’s Furniture Limited helps feed hungry families with $10,000 donation to fund Port Cares meal program

The south Niagara charity projecting to serve 20,000 meals over the next year

(June 26, 2024 - PORT COLBORNE) With the high cost of food and no sign of the high cost of food decreasing anytime soon more and more low income families in south Niagara are turning to Port Cares Reach Out Centre meal program to receive a hot, healthy meal. Thanks to a desperately needed donation of $10,000 received earlier this week from Leon’s Furniture Limited, the agency will be able to secure food supplies to continue to operate this important poverty relief food program. 

“Ten years ago, when I first started with Port Cares, a busy day was serving 30 to 40 adults and children. Today we are providing meals to three times as many with 90-to 140 low income residents coming to the centre for every meal," says Port Cares CEO Christine Clark Lafleur noting that the Port Colborne based charity does not receive any form of government funding to provide its poverty relief services including its meal program. “It’s the simple case that households just can’t make ends meet. They don’t have enough money to buy all the items they need to prepare a nutritious meal. For single parent families its particularly difficult and Port Cares is here to close the gap and ensure growing kids get fed properly.”

It’s no secret that Port Cares Reach Out Centre food bank like every other food bank in the province is struggling to secure enough donated food to assist through the food bank says Clark Lafleur. “The Leon’s Furniture donation came just in time as our freezers and cupboards for the meal program are bare.”

“We also know that many people through no fault of their own have fallen on hard times for themselves and their families. When that happens, we are grateful for organizations like Port Cares,” says Mark J. Leon, Chairman Emeritus, Leon’s Furniture Limited.  Mr. Leon adds that his company got its start in the local community 114 years ago and are committed to supporting the community. “We would like to offer a challenge to other companies in our area who are in a position to do so to donate whatever they can.”

Since 1986, Port Cares has offered a multitude of services for people, young and old, not only in Port Colborne, but also across Niagara including Lincoln, West Lincoln, Welland, Pelham and Fort Erie. They offer housing, employment training, a foodbank, EarlyON Child and Family Centres, a meal program, utility assistance, counselling and crisis services- as well as seasonal programs like Give a Gift and more. Their services are wide-ranging - the need is undeniable.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT PORT CARES REACH OUT CENTRE:

• Port Cares Reach Out Centre Food bank (ROFC) assists one in 8 local residents.
• A third of the people reliant on the ROFC Food Bank are children.
• The most needed food item donations for the food bank include canned meat, canned fruit, canned vegetables, pasta & sauce, peanut butter, cereal, jam, baby food, formula and diapers, personal hygiene items.
• Last school year the Port Cares Reach Out Food Centre located at 61 Nickel     Street, Port Colborne, provided 3,100 lunch kits and more than 15,700 lunches to local school-age elementary and secondary school children who     live in low-income households.
• Hot, nutritious community meals are served three times a week to families and individuals in need with more than 90 adults and children typically attend each meal.

Port Cares’ mission is to help those in our community with social and economic needs improve their quality of life. Port Cares’ vision is to provide help, hope and opportunity for all to achieve their potential.

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