Blackout strains already struggling food bank

Organization prefers cash donations to meet growing post-tornado needs

The Ottawa Food Bank scrambled to truck food across the city Sunday as widespread power outages dragged into a third day, threatening the food supply of those most in need.

“The big concern for us is the Ottawa Community Housing residents,” food bank executive director Michael Maidment said. “These are people who struggle to buy food when everything is OK, when there isn’t damage and there is power. The big concern now is that the little food that they are able to provide for themselves is going to be spoiled.”

The food bank was part of a meeting Sunday with Ottawa Public Health, Ottawa Community Housing, along with MP Catherine McKenna and councillors Mark Taylor and Catherine McKenney, focused on how to assist community-housing tenants who were still in the dark.

OCH reported Sunday that 17 of its townhouse and low-rise buildings were still without power along with eight highrises that were also blacked out and running on emergency generators. The generators kept the elevators in service and ran pumps to maintain water pressure on upper floors, but they were running low on fuel as the blackout continued.

The food bank also trucked food to the Salvation Army mobile kitchen that set up Sunday afternoon in Manordale Park to serve hot meals to residents in that blacked-out community.

“The next thing for us will be Monday morning, working with the food banks in Ottawa Community Housing that are still without power,” Maidment said.

“There are five food banks in the west end, and all do not have power. Any perishable food will be spoiled by now.

“We’re now putting together (a plan) to replace the food they’ve lost once the power comes up, and that might not be for several days.”

Ottawa Public Health warns of the danger of spoiled food and tweeted its guidelines for dealing with a power failure. Food in a full freezer can last 48 hours without power and 24 hours in one that’s half-full.

A refrigerator will remain cold for only four to six hours without power. Food that has been at room temperature for more than two hours should be thrown out as should food that has an obvious bad smell or look.

“When in doubt, throw it out,” the health unit advises.

The weekend demand put a strain on the food bank, which already struggles to supply tens of thousands of Ottawa-area families.

“We always need food. We’re feeding 38,000 people a month,” Maidment said. “And any food we distribute now is extra inventory we’ll need because we still have those 38,000 people to feed.”

The food bank is asking for cash donations to try to help alleviate the need. Visit ottawafoodbank. com.

The food bank will accept donations of non-perishable food at its warehouse on Monday, but cash is even more helpful.

“If people donate perishable food and they still don’t have power, what will we do with it?” Maidment said. “If we get cash, we can buy the food when we need it and then distribute it.”