Fundraising to meet increasing need at the food bank in Sudbury

Inner-City Home of Sudbury is selling cash calendars to raise $60,000 for its food bank. The funds will triple its buying power amid a spike in clients.

Fundraising efforts are ongoing for food banks in our region as the non-profits see the need for help with food insecurity steadily increasing.

In Sudbury, the Inner City Home is doing its part to raise money to keep its food bank operating.

Board members were on hand on Monday at a local grocery store selling the Knights of Columbus cash calendar.

“You can win $50 every day of the year,” said Julio Navarro, Inner Home of Sudbury board first vice-president.

“You got a chance to win that, and at the end of the month, there are larger prizes. It could be $200, $500. And on Dec. 31, I believe the prize is $1,000.”

Proceeds from the cash calendar aim to raise $60,000 to help the food bank operate in 2026.

“The arrangement that we have now is that for every cash dollar that we receive, we can triple our buying power,” said board president Joe Drago.

“So $60,000 times three gives us the opportunity to feed an awful lot of people.”

Officials with the Inner City food bank -- located on Elm Street with another one in New Sudbury -- said they are seeing a spike in all ages needing food and other basic items.

“You go shopping for yourself and what do you buy? You buy hand cream and you buy toothpaste and a toothbrush,” said Inner City Home administrator Annette Babcock.

“People are so pinched financially that they need those things and so we are able to supply some of them.”

Babcock said there are more people with no fixed address in need of food assistance and help with other basic needs.

“We do serve individuals who are homeless … and our percentage of individuals spiked considerably from four per cent to 14 per cent back in the fall,” she said.

The Inner City Home of Sudbury has another big fundraiser coming up Jan. 15 at the Caruso Club. There are still tickets available for the Taste of Sudbury event featuring many local food vendors and restaurants.