Some young people in Smiths Falls are proving generosity doesn’t have an age limit.
The Smiths Falls Community Food Bank has seen children and families finding creative ways to support neighbours who need a hand, including kids choosing donations to the food bank instead of birthday presents.
It is one example of the community support that keeps the organization going as demand remains high.
Food bank Executive Director Natalia Soteroff says that generosity also extends to people wanting to give their time.
The response has been so strong that the food bank has sometimes had more prospective volunteers than available jobs, including students looking to complete high school volunteer hours.
Staff and volunteers work together to prepare hampers, unload food orders and serve residents, while donations from individuals, businesses and local stores help keep the shelves stocked.
Soteroff says that support is what allows the food bank to continue its work.
But some of the most memorable examples of generosity are coming from younger members of the community.
Soteroff says several children have decided to turn their own celebrations into an opportunity to help somebody else.
It is a simple idea: instead of arriving at a birthday party carrying another toy, guests can contribute something that helps put food on another family’s table.
Other supporters have found ways to make birthdays special for food bank clients themselves.
For the food bank, those gestures are about much more than the dollars collected.
They show children that helping their community can be part of everyday life — even on a day normally dedicated to receiving.
And for a family needing some extra support, somebody else’s birthday can become a reason to smile too.
Learn more here.
