As we start 2026, the news seems to get worse daily. Notes are still hanging in the air from songs about peace and love, but that seems to be a long way from current reality. Conflict, wars, and trouble around the world can make me feel discouraged about where we are heading. 

And then I got an update about our community’s contribution to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. This reminds me that while grim headlines dominate, there are so many people working together to help others. It reminds me that people all around me are acting locally while thinking globally.

As you drive around the countryside, you may notice blue and red signs posted in fields. Small and humble, they are easy to miss. But they are an indication of the long-term dedication of many farmers, agriculture supply companies, individual volunteers, and churches to reduce world hunger through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFB).

On our farm, we have been involved with the Belgrave Community Growing Project through United Church partnerships locally and in Toronto and Oshawa for almost 25 consecutive years, thanks to the commitment of my parents, George and Elizabeth Procter. It is something we have done for so long, it seems like just a regular part of our growing season.

Our project relies on the support of local partners who are so willing every year to donate. We are grateful to Adam and Cheryl Garniss, Brett and Laura Fischer, Wyatt McIlhargey, Brussels Agromart, and Midwest Co-op, Belgrave branch. These businesses support the project by generously donating seed, fertilizer, and crop protection products.

Our part in the project involves providing 20 acres of land, planting, managing, and harvesting the crop. This year, Knox United was able to forward a cheque for $42,896 to the Canadian Foodgrains Project, which also includes donations of cash from community members toward the project. 

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank includes nearly 30 Christian denominations working together around the world with the stated goal of ending world hunger. This includes providing emergency food assistance when people are suddenly faced with food shortages due to violent conflict, economic collapse, political upheaval, and natural disasters. But the CFB also includes long-term responses to hunger, helping people to grow their own food, increasing their harvests and working together towards long-term solutions. The CFB also has an advocacy arm that works with governments and provides education, empowering people to make meaningful change. 

While our little 20 acres may seem like a small amount, small amounts all over the world come together to form an ocean of food and care for people who are without food. The Government of Canada partners with the Foodgrains Bank and has done so since it began.

Having just come from a season of feasting and indulging, it is sobering to realize that one in 11 people globally do not have enough to eat. CFB reports that 720 million people around the world are living with chronic hunger, while 2.3 billion people are challenged to access adequate food regularly. 

Of course, this leads us to think about people in our own communities who are included in those statistics. March 2025 saw almost 2.2 million visits to Canadian foodbanks – the highest number in history, and foodbank visits have doubled in six years. 
The Huron Food Distribution Centre has a goal of making hunger non-existent in our communities. It reports numbers from 2024 revealing over 25,000 visits to nine Huron County food banks, which is an increase of 18 percent from 2023. In addition, there were 8,423 visits to the Mobile Food Bank program that operates in six Huron County communities, which is an increase of 15 percent from 2023. 

The Huron County Food Distribution Centre is supported by many businesses and donors since it opened in 2009. Check out their Facebook page and see all the people and businesses who donate food and time. With over 40 volunteers donating around 110 hours every week to make sure that food donated from local businesses and farmers is redistributed to folks in need through food banks, aid agencies, and the Mobile Food Bank program, the distribution centre is making a big difference in our community. This added up to 1,401,251 pounds delivered in 2025!

They also have fund-raising events during the year. In 2025 they hosted the Better Together Gala, which featured a dinner, raffle, silent and live auctions and entertainment. A summer golf tournament also brings people together and helps to raise money for the Centre. 

The North Huron Community Food Share is one of the Huron County food banks. It was formed in 1995 and has been expanding the operation ever since. Their Facebook page is also inspiring and shows how many local people and businesses care enough to donate food, energy, and money to share with people who need a little help. 

While we all know that these are temporary solutions to big societal problems, until we are able as a society to solve these problems, food banks provide a way for people to share when they can with people who need a little help. There are lots of ways to get involved and help where you can – donations of time, money, food, and expertise can go a long way. ◊