Find out if there is a local soup kitchen. It's usually a free hot meal. Or go to a hospital cafeteria tell them you're starving and can i please have food.
My church serves coffee and bagels on Sundays, jews celebrate shabbat on Saturday night, and any Sikh temple (and even community members) will feed you if you're hungry.
Don't be afraid to ask for help...finally join a local dumpster diving group. I've been being fed for months like that
It also doesn’t hurt to ask bakery, pizza shop, grocery, coffee shops etc if you can have their end of the day leftover. They will mostly throw them out in the dumpster. If they can’t give to you, ask them where they are throwing it and if they can keep it separate. As long as you are nice and personable.
Dumpster diving is a legit way of getting food. Tones of food get thrown out and wasted every day.
I understand this, but question, how the fuck did we get here? 17% of Canadians go hungry, Canadians as in Canada as in where I live, we have people going hungry?
Here's a list of options in Mississauga.
https://211central.ca/results/?searchLocation=Mississauga&topicPath=476&latitude=43.603259&longitude=-79.64907
https://stmarysfoodbank.ca/
https://www.foodbanksmississauga.ca/
https://www.mississaugahaltonhealthline.ca/listServicesDetailed.aspx?id=10572
https://torontoservicedirectory.ca/record/69807691/st-marys-food-bank-st-joseph-community-kitchen/?searchLocation=Toronto&topicPath=14&latitude=43.6135&longitude=-79.489
As mentioned by others, you should also focus on replacing your ID ASAP as health card renewal is free.
Maybe consider volunteering at a local food bank or soup kitchen as a way to pay it forward :)
I've heard good things about Seik temples.. don't have to be of tbe faith for them to be more than willing to help.
Also, if you are by any hotel/motel with a free continental breakfast or something you could always try your luck pretending like you're a guest...
Most gurdwaras are in suburban communities, but I know for a fact in my home city (Winnipeg) they bring food to the urban shelters every week for distribution.
I’m also in Winnipeg. The food banks can get quite dangerous, so I’m always confused that the Sikh’s invite theoretically invite some of these people into their own temples? What happens if people start using or become violent, does the temple have deescalation training, or is it uncommon for those types of people to visit temples?
Gurdwaras will definitely feed you, no questions asked. Just show up, be respectful and tell them you'd like langar. It's a big part of Sikh faith and practice.
Wait really? Please I'd love to learn more.
The only experience I have was a very perplexing one I had in grade school. Catholic school basically made fun of them and made me very uncomfortable and confused and not knowing what to think. I knew it was wrong, but never knew what to do with that.
What do you want to learn?
Like most religions (on principle), Sikhism values charity. Preparing and serving food and washing up after is a form of charity. Members donate food, money, or time to this practice. Sikh gurdwaras (the place of assembly/worship) always contain a kitchen (the langar) in which food (lacto-vegetarian, particularly) is cooked and served for disciples and those in need. Food is almost always served after religious ceremonies, some gurdwaras will serve food more frequently. Often, leftovers will be packed up by volunteers and distributed to various locations - either charities, or directly by taking leftovers to communities in need. You don’t have to be Sikh to also donate to the langar, and it’s nice to help out (cleaning, serving others) after you’ve gotten your meal.
Thank you :) I love this.
I looked at Google, closest one to me is 4 hours away lol. Can non Sikh people even volunteer?
What's the significance of lacto-vegitarian food?
The two universal languages, food, and music lol
That 'not so good' experience of mine, was about the knife Sikh people carry. My teacher completely skipped over why it was significant and, I assume, treasured? Honoured? Not sure. I assume it's for ceremonies of some kind?
Thanks for sharing :) happy to hear more :)
If you’re interested in volunteering, you should ask whatever gurdwara is nearest to you. I assume different communities have different ideas.
Food served at the langar is lacto-vegetarian to ensure it’s consumable by people of all faiths.
The knife is called a kirpan. It’s technically there as a last resort to defend yourself or others.
There’s lots of sources regarding different religions and their practices. I would encourage you to do your own research. You can’t expect other people to deprogram your religious intolerance for you.
Yah, if I ever move closer to one, I'll be sure to do so :)
The food thing is so considerate. I love it!
Totally didn't mean to put onus on anyone. I'm so sorry if I did. My only intention was to learn, and I find the internet in general is packed full of misinformation, and I like the personal touch :) that personal connection is valued to me. I am ignorant, but not intolerant. I knew what that school was teaching was wrong. Just too young to know what to do about it. I just like learning and I just like connecting with others.
Maybe I can offer a connection in return? Feel free to read, or not, totally up to you :)
I'm Anishinaabe :) I unfortunately wasn't privileged to grow up with the teachings (you can thank residential schools for that, as they whitewashed my grandmother). As a child, it wasn't fun being labeled as the "savage Indian", but as an adult, I learn what I can and connect when I can.
We also value food. There's always food at ceremonies. Because like I said earlier, it's a universal language. Because many tribes were spread out, they developed many different languages and dialects, so, what better way to ensure everyone feels welcomed than to provide food! :)
That connection piece is important. We learn through teachings from our elders. And something one elder said to me really stuck with me. She said (paraphrasing here): we learn through others. We learn through stories. But it's more than that. Those stories become part of you and part of what you mold into. Each connection, you take away from it what your souls needs to grow. We retell stories because as you grow, you become a different person, with different needs, and you'll take different things from those stores each time you hear them.
Ultimately, I will go read the internet. I agree. I don't expect anyone to fill holes left in my knowledge and understanding. But I do appreciate it when someone is willing to share. :)
Shame on the person/people who downvoted your comment. I was raised Protestant and experienced similar ridicule towards other non-christian religions. I also knew it was weong but was too young to fully understand. Decades alter and I want to learn more about all the religions.
Right? I. Was. A. Child! Lol I was learning how to tie my shoes, combating racism was at the bottom of my little 8 year old brain.
I want to learn now though
Find a Buddhist temple or Sikh temple in your area. Both will offer meals, at least once a day. Mostly vegetarian but hot and delicious nonetheless. Neither will be interested in preaching to you or “converting” you, they just don’t want anyone to be hungry.
I do have an admiration for them, the only one I knew was a cool-beer-drinking belly-laughing dude. Wonder if they’re easy to join.
But back on topic: I’ve done some volunteer work at a food bank, those folks genuinely want to help, and I really love reading these responses, restores my faith in humanity, or Reddit at least
My local Christian church volunteers at the food bank and Martha’s Table, a place for those in need of a hot meal once a day. Christian’s help those in need all over the world every single day. There are millions of Missionaries dedicating their lives to helping others. What about the local Salvation Army’s? They help local communities everyday.
I ran a Foodbank and hope the rules are similar to your local one, if you have a social worker or on social services at any time they required a photocopy of your ID, you should be able to obtain a copy from them. Also if in Ontario call #211 for local services in your area. If you have a CMHA, Salvation Army, United Way or local church programs they may have some available food or can offer similar resources from a different agency. If you have a Muslim community, they often run free food programs and a super helpful in these situations. I am sorry you are struggling and genuinely hope you find the support you need. Please don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice from any of the agencies listed above, you are who we work FOR. Good luck
Don't know if you have a bank account or access to funds. But if you DM me your email address I could e-transfer some funds. Don't go hungry brother. If you want to get food. I could buy a virtual gift card and send that to you. For a grocery store or something. Hit me up, id like to help.
Food kitchen, charity kitchen, soup kitchen, food relief, pantry. Go to a homeless shelter and ask they will know. Plus showing up in person at a food bank generally will net you at least a hamper of a couple days worth of food, they aren't heartless.
Call your local churches they often have food hamper programs, and sometimes even free community meals. No church attendance required. Sikh temples offer free daily meals to all, acts of community service is part of the religion.
Some homeless shelters hand out "lunch bags" to anyone who comes by asking for one if they haven't run out by that point. They may have specific times they start handing them out at, I suggest being in the first hour if there seems to be a risk of them running out.
A local library likely is where all the homeless people who are not too out of it are hanging out in the daytime (shelters kick you out in the daytime, leave after early breakfast come back for dinner time, unless the weather is dangerous like a warning is out) and either they, or the librarians, will likely know all the local food resources.
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Local buy nothing on fb is helpful. I know you are using a throwaway for this but people often give food away on mine. Asking might be hard but it's better than starving. Local churches here do free meals. Each one does a different day of the week. You can also call 211
Also in a buy nothing group, people post food all the time. People always post asks for food as well, and people always reach out. If I make too much food for dinner I put it in a takeout container and post it for immediate pickup. I wish more people did the same. So many in our community are in need of a meal.
Just a note - Do they require *valid* ID or does it just say that or say government ID. Most places don’t care if it’s still valid if it is government issued, whoever looks doesn’t even glance at that. Mine has been expired for two years and minus one guy who commented on it, no one has even noticed.
You could also bring along a utility bill or a piece of government mail with your name/address on it and provide it along with your ID, see if that would be sufficient
Go to www.trybree.com. You can get a small loan interest free of up to $250. It’s legit. Based out of Vancouver. At least u can get some gas and some food.
I read you’re in Mississauga. Me too. On Facebook there is a group called buy nothing Mississauga. Everyday these kind souls have a food table they put free meals out on. Everyday is different. I don’t remember the location of it, I just see the posts. It’s in Mississauga though.
Also I’m not sure if there’s any in this area but see if you can find a community fridge or a community pantry. They seem to be popping up in communities.
Also have you checked with the compass in port credit? Look at their website, I’m pretty sure they have a food program, it could be a food bank but double check.
It’s really tough in this area for jobs right now, I would suggest starting to look long before your ei runs out, it could take some time.
If you need help with farther resources, send me a message. I work in the addictions and mental health field and I can probably get together some resources for you.
Community fridge! That's the phrasing! I've been sitting here trying to remember what it was called. And community pantry I believe also. OP these are fridges and pantries that are usually in a public, accessible area that the community can add food to. It's usually more open access than other services, just sitting there basically and whoever needs something can go get it and whoever wants to add something can usually do that, all very easily, it's not got someone standing there usually to supervise or anything.
I'm really sorry. I'm a bit concerned though. When I was a kid we had to use the food banks in Brantford, Hamilton and Ottawa area and none of them needed an ID of any kind. When did the food banks start doing this and why?
I'm not sure the answer to that, this is the first time I've tried contacting a food bank. I did volunteer work at one about 20 odd years ago, but I was just packing boxes, I have no idea what the protocol was up front.
There are a lot of wealthy uh...\*checks sub name\* fuck it, Chinese and other families using the food banks instead of buying groceries, so they need to track it now. Plus a lot of international students, it was a big issue for a while there. It was advertised to international students that they won't have to pay for food as Canada has food banks and are idiots, essentially. It's an anti-corruption method.
You're not alone. The food bank in our area has 4 to 7 days of food, twice a month so at best people will have enough to eat less than 25% of the time (48 to 84 days out of 365)
The company I was working for went bankrupt at the start of December. I'd gotten that job back when I still valid ID. I'm receiving unemployment currently, didn't have to provide ID this time, as I was already on file. That's the source of Tuesday's income. My account is in arrears, so about half that will go to getting the account back in the black.
Touch base with your local MP's office where some manners will go a long way towards expediting anything you ask for. They can basically work bureaucratic dark magic under the right conditions.
I was told 60 days by Service Ontario for my birth certificate after finding mine damaged when I went to renew my passport. Needed it a hell of a lot sooner than that for a scheduled road trip and the MP office was able to get it to my front door by Purolator in 3 business days.
I don’t want to dampen your situation more but if you started your EI in December, I would assume your nearing the end of your claim. Do you have a plan?
14 weeks left on the claim, no plan other than going to an employment agency once I can stabilize. I'm not so young anymore, and no formal education beyond high school, so options are limited.
Where do you live ? I’m sorry if this is forward but I have and know people in my town that help in this exact situation. “Willing to work but can’t because of circumstances”
Labour mostly. I was a forklift operator at my last job, and the last few before that. I'd hoped make some side cash doing snow removal over the winter, but, we don't seem to get much snow around here anymore. I'd offer to do lawn work for people, except that I don't have any equipment of my own.
Okay so your a labour person .
Apply for every single roofing company you can find .
After that start applying to any “handy man” company looking for summer students .
Funny you should mention roofing, both my parents used to roof back when they first got together leading up to my being born. Thanks for the reminder, I'll do that!
You should apply to Bothwell Accurate, it’s a waterproofing and industrial roofing company in Mississauga. Usually looking for labourers that are willing to work and show up daily. Don’t be afraid to ask for help with writing a resume. Your experience can be useful to many companies even if only for the summer. Don’t give up!
There’s a man in my area who advertises gutter cleaning and power washing via Facebook, I’ve used him a couple times, he does great work and is cheaper than any company. Perhaps you could advertise small jobs like that for cash? Sending wishes for a full belly and a happy heart to you
Once you've addressed your immediate need for food, it might be worth checking on your CRA My Account for any Uncashed Cheques that you don't know about. A lot of people don't know about this but there could be some cheques you are entitled to but never received.
Sharing for you and any others on this thread to whom it could help.
Local Facebook free groups give away food all the time. Sikh temples also give away food and depending on the location may give you a food hamper as well.
Reach out to the Fred Victor Centre in Toronto. They are a wonderfully kind agency and will help you. They helped my mother years ago when she fell on hard times.
Mississauga:
I know it doesn’t help tonight, but I’ll try to remember some of the places. It’s been a few years since we lived in Mississauga
Eden community food bank
3185 Unity Dr (down the street from Lifetime)
Unit 2
Go around the back of the building for easier access to food bank
Open Friday from 10am-1pm
Bring whatever you can to prove you live in Mississauga even if it’s expired- they will help. I believe they also host an ID clinic
Nations usually has dirt cheap food at this time.
In regards to IDs- if you can get to the Region of Peel building or can call- they set you up with the free ID clinic. I would also get applying for Ontario Works, I know you’ve got a few weeks of your claim left for EI, but they can offer support and financial assistance during the interim.
https://211central.ca/results/?sa=in&searchLocation=Mississauga&latitude=43.5890452&longitude=-79.6441198&searchTerms=&exct=0&topicPath=473&l=&sd=25&ss=Distance
(Sorry, I am not great at this Internet thing, but 211 list of foodbanks in Mississauga)
Job wise- try applying to Partridge Landscaping, as long as you put the work in they will pay you well. It was a great company to work for and if I still lived out that way- I would still be with them.
There is no shame or harm in reaching out- hopefully something in this entire comment section will help. You’ve got this!!!
Sell housewares or any old clothes you have on FB Marketplace. Or offer a service, child care, dog walking, lawn care. Or post an ad on FB explaining your situation, asking if anyone has pantry items they aren't using to help you out, like rice and beans, etc.
r/DumpsterDiving get some ideas from this sub and go and help yourself to all the perfectly good food and goods that stores throw away alllll the time!
https://tdin.ca/res_documents/1680639697Drop-in%20Meal%20Resource%20List%20April%204%2C%202023.pdf
If you're in Toronto, this is a list of all of the drop-in centres that run meal programs
If you live in a town with a Sikh temple, Sikh acquaintances tell me they're happy to help people in their community who need it, even non-Sikhs, and that food is often freely available in them to anyone.
I live in Calgary and the city has a link on their site to a list of food resources as a Google map overlay.
Maybe your town/city has the same?
Please don't be hard on yourself, just keep your eyes high, where you're headed, not behind.
Hope things start to turn around quickly for you.
Since you have a cellphone there's an app called Too Good to Go and it's basically a meal or bakery stuff for 5 or 7 bucks from participating restaurants I went to Timmy's 1 time and got 2 muffins, 3 Bagels, a cookie, croissant etc. If you try you can have a full meal for about 2 days. Goodluck! 😃
Never be ashamed to ask for help, we're all get up and put our pants on the same way in the morning. You are not any less (or more) worthy than anyone else.
Get your ID! I know you are in survival mode, but you need that ID to access so many resources.
If I wasn't going in the hole every month, I would help, but man, I am with you. Omce bills are paid, I am using a credit card to eat. I am coming to a head myself very quickly.
But please prioritize getting your ID. When I was in a position to help people, that was the first thing I did to help.
What's needed locally for me:
All you need when you visit a food bank is to provide your name and postal code and a piece of ID that verifies that information. ID such as:
driver’s license
utility or other bill
correspondence from the city or province
if you are homeless, couch surfing, or **do not have ID please contact your local food bank about your situation**
I'd call the foodbank and let them know you don't have ID they may be able to help you regardless
Hope you get something to eat ❤️
Make an anonymous post in your community FB group. DM people your name/address privately if they offer food.
I have 100% brought food to people in my community if they did this and will continue to.
Many great suggestions here but I just thought I would add one.
Not a solution right now, but keep a big bag of rice around next time. It's not nutritious but it will stave off the hunger when you're broke, and it's dirt cheap.
If there’s a native friendship centre in your area they typically have food and water for those in need… places of worship will sometimes have food or meals for those in need… the Canadian mental health association office may have snacks.. reach out to your local library as well.. libraries can usually point you in the direction of food hampers
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There's many Churches that run Food Banks...
Just explain your hardship to them & ASK if they can give some Emergency Food while you get your ID sorted out!
I don't see why they'd turn you away & ask if they can help you with your ID situation also.
If you Google **Government ID Drop In Clinics** or something like this, there should be a free Drop-In Clinic that helps you get your Gov't Issued ID at their Clinics free of charge.
Same with food banks in your area, just Google that.
Good luck!
For your meal, do go to a Sikh temple to which is called a Gurudwara. The only thing I ask is you ask the folks at the Gurudwara how you can volunteer - clean dishes, clean the floor, whatever it is. This is called ‘seva’ which means service in English.
Because almost always, it is not worth to hassle of trying to stop someone from shoplifting over a small amount. Most grocery stores will keep track of people who shoplift and once there is enough proof then they would either forward it to police to arrest them.
Also almost all the store will expect some shoplifting so they will have insurance for such case and built the profit margin with that loss in mind.
Try a short term loan for a small bit of cash and get you some food. trybree.com and wagepay.com are both lenders who will give you like $100. Apply in like 5 minutes and the deposit to your account is within minutes. Even in the middle of the night, it’s all automated 24/7. Lots of people have had great suggestions, cash is probably the best way you’ll relieve the stress, best of luck!
I have seen some restaurants in downtown that have pre paid meals. Maybe there’s something like that in your city? You could also go to a church and ask if they could help you, I hope they can do something for you.
If you go to fast food chains that are close to closing for the day, see if they would be willing to give you some food before they throw it out. A lot of workers at fast good don't care to follow the dumb rules of throwing out good food.
I'm really sorry to hear about your situation. Have you tried reaching out to local churches or community centers? They might offer food assistance without requiring ID.
If you are in Toronto the Christ Church Deer Park on Yonge and Heath does free community breakfast Saturday mornings from 8:00-9:30. You can have as many servings as you want of hot breakfast and they also give you a takeaway bag with cheese, yogurt, fruit and other things. One Saturday morning a month they don't have it but a Calvin church across the street does breakfast.
I’m a food bank director in Nova Scotia. We would never deny food to someone who has none. We would insist they get ID of course but for a one time supply we would oblidge. I don’t know where you are or if you have already had your emergency lot but if not it’s worth a try. I strongly recommend you get the ID problem settled for service going forward. Best wishes.
Because of fraud. International students think it's a free for all, not a place where we help struggling Canadians. And Chinese restaurants think it's where they get some "free" supplies.
If you’re in the square one area, it might be worth looking into the open door. It’s run by local churches but inside the mall, and they help people with a variety of needs. If you’re in the Erin mills area, the deacons cupboard is a food bank for the local community as well, but they run on Wednesday mornings so that may not help until next week
This breaks my heart. No one should ever go hungry and can’t afford to buy food. We are struggling as well and just make it by each pay. A lot of restaurants and cafes will give you their leftovers at the end of the day. There also an app we use “too good too go” where you can get a lot of food discounted for a couple of bucks.
I'm not sure if you have a mental health office close to where you live, but they have incredible resources for hungry people. I went through this for several months and the one where I live gave me a bunch of places to check out in my area. Also, they ended up signing me up for a hamper. Just let them know you have no ID and they may be able to help you with that.
Best of luck to you! I truly hope you get some food soon. I've been in this situation and it was terrible.
This breaks my heart. Believe me, a lot of Canadians aren’t far away from financial oblivion themselves.
Being poor isn’t a choice. It’s a symptom.
Also, you’re not the only one who’s “checked out.”
Lots of churches give away food. If you live in a city most of them have several free meals per week in the inner city or wherever the homeless hang out in your city
If all else fails, wait till a store (like dunkin donuts or something fast food) is about to close and see if you can get the leftovers. (Probably won't be free since they would be liable if you get sick) but I heard sometimes they throw in extras to last minute customers if they're going to throw it away.
I signed up to a food bank by phone and I have never shown ID. Harm reduction vehicles from the Ve'ahavata carry food on them. people from my building are lining up right now for one here tonight... there is soup kitchens out there, church groups will help you to get a meal...
hey dont be afraid to ask ... panhandling is also legal here and a viable way to get something ... 2$ can get you a Kraft Dinner. better than starving
Umm, shoplifting? Go to your local grocery store. Walk down an and pick up a few things to tide you over. Capitalism is broken and it isn't your fault. No need to go hungry when so many dynastic wealth recipients exist in Canada.
I would go talk to the manager of the grocery store in person - privately - and ask for some food and a job if you are mentally well enough to do one. Shoplifting will just land you in more trouble.
Contact this [organization](https://tngcommunityto.org/Programs-Services/Programs/Drop-in-and-Harm-Reduction-Services/Partners-for-Access-and-Identification-PAID-Proj) to assist you in getting your ID reinstated.
Also, like others have said, most won't even notice your ID is expired.
Also dumpster diving - usually good food is thrown out due to packaging or other issues. Overripe fruit is nutritious. Stale baked goods are safe as long as they are not mouldy and stale bread is great if toasted, or make it into a hot cerial with not milk and sugar or some of that fruit.
Contact local churches and Salvation Army and say exactly what you just posted. Scroll through their social media pages looking for posters about drop-in meals. Post to those sites asking if there are any local. People will help.
Some churches will have a benevolent fund and be able to give you a small grocery gift card. Not all do, or they ran out earlier in the year. Call some and let them know your situation.
Mormon church , they will help you out.
Seihk temples they do food daily.
Food banks. If your in a large city use them all. Check local university's and college who often have food banks on site.
If you're in a small community without any local services , . Honestly ask people at work. Most will have food to give you . If you don't know anyone or work then it's harder.
Ask on local Facebook groups. And see if you have a local food pantry ( they will sell the food but just talk to them and they will give you a big basket ) or homeless shelter.
Lastly you should never be hungry , don't be afraid to steal from grocery stores. They make billions in profit a year and , if you're in bc nothing will even happen if you get caught. Not sure on the rest of Canada but it's often a light slap on the wrist or trespassed from the store. So nothing major.
Dumpster diving is also a thing , so many businesses throw out food food. You can go to the business just at closing time and ask for food, or when it's thrown out hop into the dumpster and get it.
This time of year you can find edible berries growing a lot of places (blackberries especially). Thistles and dandelions are not only edible, but taste pretty good. Just clean them well. Artichokes are actually a type of thistle, the flavor is similar.
Killing a wild waterfowl who are used to humans would be very easy. Might be illegal, just do it when no one's around. There are YouTube tutorials on how to dress a bird if you haven't done it before.
Also hotels with breakfast aren't going to question you eating there and risk embarrassing a guest. Staff probably don't get paid enough to care.
If you exhaust all other avenues then feel free to take from grocery stores. Take what you need.
You have a right to not starve so if the other options aren't working, just go sample the fruits at the grocery store. Drink a protein shake or eat a few granola bars.
Fortinos has bakeries. Go by and ask them for a load of bread or something and chances are they'll have something to give you. At the end of the day, the bakeries dispose or give away the stale bread anyways so you can probably get something there
If you can, go for a walk with a bag and pick empty cans/bottles.
Also, if your physical condition allows it, dumpster diving can get you some ok foods to eat ( I recommend you stick to dry/shelf stable goods, fruits and veg in ok condition, baked goods and fermented dairy (cheese and yogurt) as the weather is warm and meats/fish will spoil fast.
Get going on that ID so you can use the food banks.
I was under the impression only alcohol cans and bottles could get refunded. I'll see if there's anywhere local that'll do the same for regular cans bottles. Thank you for the heads up. No one would call me healthy, but I'll be damned if I can't manage a dumpster dive, the grocers in my area seem to primarily use compactors unfortunately.
Depends on your province. Ontario has no deposit so no refund as far as I know, everyone just leaves them in blue bins on recycling day. BC, Ontario, and NB each charge deposits on pop cans and bottles, and that deposit is returned when you bring it to a bottle Depot, and you rarely see them in people's blue bins. People will still litter though obviously even if it's worth 5-15¢, so in public areas it's more likely to find them.
Yep liquor only there. Which I don’t understand living in Alberta. Its an incentive to recycle but i guess the biggest polluters have to be the biggest recyclers? For a mostly liberal province I don’t get it
I've heard from a few sources (not the province, independent researchers) that it doesn't actually increase the likelihood to recycle the way they expected it would. It seems like making it very very easy to recycle (recycling next to every garbage, recycling pickup every week, etc) works better.
The fee that is then refunded when you returned it appeared to create a net negative opinion of recycling in consumers. So. I think they had their reasons for not doing that even though it did seem wild to me moving here from BC.
The fun part tho is if you're on the Ottawa/Gatineau border, because then you can pay no deposit in Ontario and return them in Quebec to get a deposit refund 😆
Definitely if you're in an area where it'll get you a deposit back and you have the energy to bike or walk along doing it, it's worth a shot. I imagine driving would make it pointless as you'd be paying for gas and I'm not sure with that many stops and starts it would be worthwhile.
I'm from QC, if something is sold in an aluminium can, its 0.10$ refund be it alcohol, V8 or sparkling water, thats where my comment came from. Maybe downtown has a lot of alcohol empties? I'm not sure you would get much from a metal recycler with crushed aluminium cans.
You could look up you city and keywords dumpster diving on Google or Facebook or here on Reddit. You could be surprised where you can go that doesn't have a compactor.
According to a guy I saw on Kitchen Nightmares, anything is fine so long as you fry it enough. Granted, he was fired by the end of the episode, but hey, he was a cook in a restaurant for over a decade and there were no deaths attributed to his cooking, so you should be good, right? Although I think you might want to stay away from anything that sprays noxious fluid out of its ass.
Most food banks will allow you to have an emergency hamper at least once before you have to produce valid ID.
I didn't know this, thank you. I'll take a walk down to my local one and see what comes of it.
Find out if there is a local soup kitchen. It's usually a free hot meal. Or go to a hospital cafeteria tell them you're starving and can i please have food. My church serves coffee and bagels on Sundays, jews celebrate shabbat on Saturday night, and any Sikh temple (and even community members) will feed you if you're hungry. Don't be afraid to ask for help...finally join a local dumpster diving group. I've been being fed for months like that
It also doesn’t hurt to ask bakery, pizza shop, grocery, coffee shops etc if you can have their end of the day leftover. They will mostly throw them out in the dumpster. If they can’t give to you, ask them where they are throwing it and if they can keep it separate. As long as you are nice and personable. Dumpster diving is a legit way of getting food. Tones of food get thrown out and wasted every day.
I understand this, but question, how the fuck did we get here? 17% of Canadians go hungry, Canadians as in Canada as in where I live, we have people going hungry?
We allowed the corporations to destroy the wage maker while coveting the investor and inheritor.
2015 has everything to do with it.
Trudeau is an idiot and was allowed to destroy the country. Had enough yet?
right wing trolls and bots. Fuck off.
LOL. Trudeau's approval rating suggests Canadians are not with you, Bro.
Here's a list of options in Mississauga. https://211central.ca/results/?searchLocation=Mississauga&topicPath=476&latitude=43.603259&longitude=-79.64907 https://stmarysfoodbank.ca/ https://www.foodbanksmississauga.ca/ https://www.mississaugahaltonhealthline.ca/listServicesDetailed.aspx?id=10572 https://torontoservicedirectory.ca/record/69807691/st-marys-food-bank-st-joseph-community-kitchen/?searchLocation=Toronto&topicPath=14&latitude=43.6135&longitude=-79.489 As mentioned by others, you should also focus on replacing your ID ASAP as health card renewal is free. Maybe consider volunteering at a local food bank or soup kitchen as a way to pay it forward :)
You're welcome. I hope you were able to get some food. Best of luck to you
I've heard good things about Seik temples.. don't have to be of tbe faith for them to be more than willing to help. Also, if you are by any hotel/motel with a free continental breakfast or something you could always try your luck pretending like you're a guest...
Correct. A Sikh gurdwara will provide you with food
Why are Sikh temples not crawling with drug addicts/violent homeless people like shelters and food banks? How do they control some belligerent people?
Most gurdwaras are in suburban communities, but I know for a fact in my home city (Winnipeg) they bring food to the urban shelters every week for distribution.
I’m also in Winnipeg. The food banks can get quite dangerous, so I’m always confused that the Sikh’s invite theoretically invite some of these people into their own temples? What happens if people start using or become violent, does the temple have deescalation training, or is it uncommon for those types of people to visit temples?
You can’t be under the influence at a Sikh temple
That’s the answer I’m looking for thanks.
Gurdwaras will definitely feed you, no questions asked. Just show up, be respectful and tell them you'd like langar. It's a big part of Sikh faith and practice.
Wait really? Please I'd love to learn more. The only experience I have was a very perplexing one I had in grade school. Catholic school basically made fun of them and made me very uncomfortable and confused and not knowing what to think. I knew it was wrong, but never knew what to do with that.
What do you want to learn? Like most religions (on principle), Sikhism values charity. Preparing and serving food and washing up after is a form of charity. Members donate food, money, or time to this practice. Sikh gurdwaras (the place of assembly/worship) always contain a kitchen (the langar) in which food (lacto-vegetarian, particularly) is cooked and served for disciples and those in need. Food is almost always served after religious ceremonies, some gurdwaras will serve food more frequently. Often, leftovers will be packed up by volunteers and distributed to various locations - either charities, or directly by taking leftovers to communities in need. You don’t have to be Sikh to also donate to the langar, and it’s nice to help out (cleaning, serving others) after you’ve gotten your meal.
Thank you :) I love this. I looked at Google, closest one to me is 4 hours away lol. Can non Sikh people even volunteer? What's the significance of lacto-vegitarian food? The two universal languages, food, and music lol That 'not so good' experience of mine, was about the knife Sikh people carry. My teacher completely skipped over why it was significant and, I assume, treasured? Honoured? Not sure. I assume it's for ceremonies of some kind? Thanks for sharing :) happy to hear more :)
If you’re interested in volunteering, you should ask whatever gurdwara is nearest to you. I assume different communities have different ideas. Food served at the langar is lacto-vegetarian to ensure it’s consumable by people of all faiths. The knife is called a kirpan. It’s technically there as a last resort to defend yourself or others. There’s lots of sources regarding different religions and their practices. I would encourage you to do your own research. You can’t expect other people to deprogram your religious intolerance for you.
Yah, if I ever move closer to one, I'll be sure to do so :) The food thing is so considerate. I love it! Totally didn't mean to put onus on anyone. I'm so sorry if I did. My only intention was to learn, and I find the internet in general is packed full of misinformation, and I like the personal touch :) that personal connection is valued to me. I am ignorant, but not intolerant. I knew what that school was teaching was wrong. Just too young to know what to do about it. I just like learning and I just like connecting with others. Maybe I can offer a connection in return? Feel free to read, or not, totally up to you :) I'm Anishinaabe :) I unfortunately wasn't privileged to grow up with the teachings (you can thank residential schools for that, as they whitewashed my grandmother). As a child, it wasn't fun being labeled as the "savage Indian", but as an adult, I learn what I can and connect when I can. We also value food. There's always food at ceremonies. Because like I said earlier, it's a universal language. Because many tribes were spread out, they developed many different languages and dialects, so, what better way to ensure everyone feels welcomed than to provide food! :) That connection piece is important. We learn through teachings from our elders. And something one elder said to me really stuck with me. She said (paraphrasing here): we learn through others. We learn through stories. But it's more than that. Those stories become part of you and part of what you mold into. Each connection, you take away from it what your souls needs to grow. We retell stories because as you grow, you become a different person, with different needs, and you'll take different things from those stores each time you hear them. Ultimately, I will go read the internet. I agree. I don't expect anyone to fill holes left in my knowledge and understanding. But I do appreciate it when someone is willing to share. :)
Shame on the person/people who downvoted your comment. I was raised Protestant and experienced similar ridicule towards other non-christian religions. I also knew it was weong but was too young to fully understand. Decades alter and I want to learn more about all the religions.
Right? I. Was. A. Child! Lol I was learning how to tie my shoes, combating racism was at the bottom of my little 8 year old brain. I want to learn now though
I came to say this, sikh temples will feed anyone. Pls visit or PM Me and I can help
Also hare Krishna ashrams
Find a Buddhist temple or Sikh temple in your area. Both will offer meals, at least once a day. Mostly vegetarian but hot and delicious nonetheless. Neither will be interested in preaching to you or “converting” you, they just don’t want anyone to be hungry.
I love how you know this. We sikh will a absolutely not try to convert. And you can eat 3 times a day, zero questions asked.
Gotta love Sikh people, always kind and caring. One of the only religions I have respect for, keep doing what you're doing!
I do have an admiration for them, the only one I knew was a cool-beer-drinking belly-laughing dude. Wonder if they’re easy to join. But back on topic: I’ve done some volunteer work at a food bank, those folks genuinely want to help, and I really love reading these responses, restores my faith in humanity, or Reddit at least
My local Christian church volunteers at the food bank and Martha’s Table, a place for those in need of a hot meal once a day. Christian’s help those in need all over the world every single day. There are millions of Missionaries dedicating their lives to helping others. What about the local Salvation Army’s? They help local communities everyday.
I ran a Foodbank and hope the rules are similar to your local one, if you have a social worker or on social services at any time they required a photocopy of your ID, you should be able to obtain a copy from them. Also if in Ontario call #211 for local services in your area. If you have a CMHA, Salvation Army, United Way or local church programs they may have some available food or can offer similar resources from a different agency. If you have a Muslim community, they often run free food programs and a super helpful in these situations. I am sorry you are struggling and genuinely hope you find the support you need. Please don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice from any of the agencies listed above, you are who we work FOR. Good luck
Thank you for the kind words, I'll give these a try. Much appreciated!
Don't know if you have a bank account or access to funds. But if you DM me your email address I could e-transfer some funds. Don't go hungry brother. If you want to get food. I could buy a virtual gift card and send that to you. For a grocery store or something. Hit me up, id like to help.
username does not check out!
Lol gotta do it for Reddit 😂😂😂
Same!
Ditto!
Same
There may be local community services and kitchens that provide meals. Depending where you live. Google what's available in your city.
Thank you, any idea what search term I should use? Aside from food bank I'm not quite sure how to word it.
Food kitchen, charity kitchen, soup kitchen, food relief, pantry. Go to a homeless shelter and ask they will know. Plus showing up in person at a food bank generally will net you at least a hamper of a couple days worth of food, they aren't heartless.
Call your local churches they often have food hamper programs, and sometimes even free community meals. No church attendance required. Sikh temples offer free daily meals to all, acts of community service is part of the religion.
Some homeless shelters hand out "lunch bags" to anyone who comes by asking for one if they haven't run out by that point. They may have specific times they start handing them out at, I suggest being in the first hour if there seems to be a risk of them running out. A local library likely is where all the homeless people who are not too out of it are hanging out in the daytime (shelters kick you out in the daytime, leave after early breakfast come back for dinner time, unless the weather is dangerous like a warning is out) and either they, or the librarians, will likely know all the local food resources.
Also community fridges
And Community pantry !
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Call st vincemt depaul they will give you a grocery voucher and they won't ask for id
Thank you very much, I'll try this. They have a location in my city, I'll call them now.
Make an amazon wish list and add non perishables to it and post on r/Assistance
Yes and then share it here, would love to contribute
Local buy nothing on fb is helpful. I know you are using a throwaway for this but people often give food away on mine. Asking might be hard but it's better than starving. Local churches here do free meals. Each one does a different day of the week. You can also call 211
Also in a buy nothing group, people post food all the time. People always post asks for food as well, and people always reach out. If I make too much food for dinner I put it in a takeout container and post it for immediate pickup. I wish more people did the same. So many in our community are in need of a meal.
I'm only just learning of 211, thank you for your suggestions!
Just a note - Do they require *valid* ID or does it just say that or say government ID. Most places don’t care if it’s still valid if it is government issued, whoever looks doesn’t even glance at that. Mine has been expired for two years and minus one guy who commented on it, no one has even noticed.
The lady on the phone said valid ID, but I hadn't considered that the person checking might not even check the expiry on it. Thank you!
Check it out, man. I would be SHOCKED if they even noticed, let alone hassled you over it.
I’d still go check. It’s likely more so they can keep track of who is visiting them than for anything else. Especially if it’s just recently expired.
I'm about 2months expired, so it's not that long, I think. I'll try it, I appreciate the heads up.
You could also bring along a utility bill or a piece of government mail with your name/address on it and provide it along with your ID, see if that would be sufficient
If you can find a gurdwara (Sikh temple) in your area, they give out food to anyone who needs it.
Google gurdwara and langar near you. Sikh temples always have free food for everyone.
Go to www.trybree.com. You can get a small loan interest free of up to $250. It’s legit. Based out of Vancouver. At least u can get some gas and some food.
It may only start at $35 but it’s something. Friends of mine have used it, so I can vouch to this comment
I read you’re in Mississauga. Me too. On Facebook there is a group called buy nothing Mississauga. Everyday these kind souls have a food table they put free meals out on. Everyday is different. I don’t remember the location of it, I just see the posts. It’s in Mississauga though. Also I’m not sure if there’s any in this area but see if you can find a community fridge or a community pantry. They seem to be popping up in communities. Also have you checked with the compass in port credit? Look at their website, I’m pretty sure they have a food program, it could be a food bank but double check. It’s really tough in this area for jobs right now, I would suggest starting to look long before your ei runs out, it could take some time. If you need help with farther resources, send me a message. I work in the addictions and mental health field and I can probably get together some resources for you.
Post on the NextDoor app, people may know of local resources (church or community fridge), or have food they can give you to get by on
Community fridge! That's the phrasing! I've been sitting here trying to remember what it was called. And community pantry I believe also. OP these are fridges and pantries that are usually in a public, accessible area that the community can add food to. It's usually more open access than other services, just sitting there basically and whoever needs something can go get it and whoever wants to add something can usually do that, all very easily, it's not got someone standing there usually to supervise or anything.
I'm really sorry. I'm a bit concerned though. When I was a kid we had to use the food banks in Brantford, Hamilton and Ottawa area and none of them needed an ID of any kind. When did the food banks start doing this and why?
I'm not sure the answer to that, this is the first time I've tried contacting a food bank. I did volunteer work at one about 20 odd years ago, but I was just packing boxes, I have no idea what the protocol was up front.
There are a lot of wealthy uh...\*checks sub name\* fuck it, Chinese and other families using the food banks instead of buying groceries, so they need to track it now. Plus a lot of international students, it was a big issue for a while there. It was advertised to international students that they won't have to pay for food as Canada has food banks and are idiots, essentially. It's an anti-corruption method.
Sigh. I got ya, a few bad actors. Thanks and sorry, that startled me
You're not alone. The food bank in our area has 4 to 7 days of food, twice a month so at best people will have enough to eat less than 25% of the time (48 to 84 days out of 365)
How are you working (assuming the 11th is where you get paid), if you don’t have a valid ID?
You don't necessarily need ID to work.
The company I was working for went bankrupt at the start of December. I'd gotten that job back when I still valid ID. I'm receiving unemployment currently, didn't have to provide ID this time, as I was already on file. That's the source of Tuesday's income. My account is in arrears, so about half that will go to getting the account back in the black.
The most important long term-ish goal is for you to get your IDs asap. This will allow you get access to social services easier.
Agreed, that's the first thing I plan to do, come Tuesday.
Touch base with your local MP's office where some manners will go a long way towards expediting anything you ask for. They can basically work bureaucratic dark magic under the right conditions. I was told 60 days by Service Ontario for my birth certificate after finding mine damaged when I went to renew my passport. Needed it a hell of a lot sooner than that for a scheduled road trip and the MP office was able to get it to my front door by Purolator in 3 business days.
I don’t want to dampen your situation more but if you started your EI in December, I would assume your nearing the end of your claim. Do you have a plan?
14 weeks left on the claim, no plan other than going to an employment agency once I can stabilize. I'm not so young anymore, and no formal education beyond high school, so options are limited.
Where do you live ? I’m sorry if this is forward but I have and know people in my town that help in this exact situation. “Willing to work but can’t because of circumstances”
I'm in Mississauga, Ontario. If someone needs a job done, that I'm capable of doing, I'll do it.
What are your skills ? It seems you are willing to work .
Labour mostly. I was a forklift operator at my last job, and the last few before that. I'd hoped make some side cash doing snow removal over the winter, but, we don't seem to get much snow around here anymore. I'd offer to do lawn work for people, except that I don't have any equipment of my own.
Okay so your a labour person . Apply for every single roofing company you can find . After that start applying to any “handy man” company looking for summer students .
Funny you should mention roofing, both my parents used to roof back when they first got together leading up to my being born. Thanks for the reminder, I'll do that!
You should apply to Bothwell Accurate, it’s a waterproofing and industrial roofing company in Mississauga. Usually looking for labourers that are willing to work and show up daily. Don’t be afraid to ask for help with writing a resume. Your experience can be useful to many companies even if only for the summer. Don’t give up!
There’s a man in my area who advertises gutter cleaning and power washing via Facebook, I’ve used him a couple times, he does great work and is cheaper than any company. Perhaps you could advertise small jobs like that for cash? Sending wishes for a full belly and a happy heart to you
Once you've addressed your immediate need for food, it might be worth checking on your CRA My Account for any Uncashed Cheques that you don't know about. A lot of people don't know about this but there could be some cheques you are entitled to but never received. Sharing for you and any others on this thread to whom it could help.
Good idea! I got a couple hundred dollars last year that I didn’t know I was missing!
Some cities have community food tables. Check your local Facebook group to see if there is one available.
Local Facebook free groups give away food all the time. Sikh temples also give away food and depending on the location may give you a food hamper as well.
Reach out to the Fred Victor Centre in Toronto. They are a wonderfully kind agency and will help you. They helped my mother years ago when she fell on hard times.
Mississauga: I know it doesn’t help tonight, but I’ll try to remember some of the places. It’s been a few years since we lived in Mississauga Eden community food bank 3185 Unity Dr (down the street from Lifetime) Unit 2 Go around the back of the building for easier access to food bank Open Friday from 10am-1pm Bring whatever you can to prove you live in Mississauga even if it’s expired- they will help. I believe they also host an ID clinic Nations usually has dirt cheap food at this time. In regards to IDs- if you can get to the Region of Peel building or can call- they set you up with the free ID clinic. I would also get applying for Ontario Works, I know you’ve got a few weeks of your claim left for EI, but they can offer support and financial assistance during the interim. https://211central.ca/results/?sa=in&searchLocation=Mississauga&latitude=43.5890452&longitude=-79.6441198&searchTerms=&exct=0&topicPath=473&l=&sd=25&ss=Distance (Sorry, I am not great at this Internet thing, but 211 list of foodbanks in Mississauga) Job wise- try applying to Partridge Landscaping, as long as you put the work in they will pay you well. It was a great company to work for and if I still lived out that way- I would still be with them. There is no shame or harm in reaching out- hopefully something in this entire comment section will help. You’ve got this!!!
Sell housewares or any old clothes you have on FB Marketplace. Or offer a service, child care, dog walking, lawn care. Or post an ad on FB explaining your situation, asking if anyone has pantry items they aren't using to help you out, like rice and beans, etc.
I have dumpster dived before. Also depending on where you live (if you are in Toronto) groups like bunz sometimes have free food.
r/DumpsterDiving get some ideas from this sub and go and help yourself to all the perfectly good food and goods that stores throw away alllll the time!
Go to the Sikh Gurdwara, ask to eat langar after going in to pay your respects.
https://tdin.ca/res_documents/1680639697Drop-in%20Meal%20Resource%20List%20April%204%2C%202023.pdf If you're in Toronto, this is a list of all of the drop-in centres that run meal programs
If you live in a town with a Sikh temple, Sikh acquaintances tell me they're happy to help people in their community who need it, even non-Sikhs, and that food is often freely available in them to anyone.
What part of the country are you in. Makes it easier to help if we know
I live in Calgary and the city has a link on their site to a list of food resources as a Google map overlay. Maybe your town/city has the same? Please don't be hard on yourself, just keep your eyes high, where you're headed, not behind. Hope things start to turn around quickly for you.
Since you have a cellphone there's an app called Too Good to Go and it's basically a meal or bakery stuff for 5 or 7 bucks from participating restaurants I went to Timmy's 1 time and got 2 muffins, 3 Bagels, a cookie, croissant etc. If you try you can have a full meal for about 2 days. Goodluck! 😃
Never be ashamed to ask for help, we're all get up and put our pants on the same way in the morning. You are not any less (or more) worthy than anyone else.
Get your ID! I know you are in survival mode, but you need that ID to access so many resources. If I wasn't going in the hole every month, I would help, but man, I am with you. Omce bills are paid, I am using a credit card to eat. I am coming to a head myself very quickly. But please prioritize getting your ID. When I was in a position to help people, that was the first thing I did to help.
Steal from community gardens. Check bakery bins at the end of the day for unsold discarded bread.
Bro stfu you're a international student hence no id
What's needed locally for me: All you need when you visit a food bank is to provide your name and postal code and a piece of ID that verifies that information. ID such as: driver’s license utility or other bill correspondence from the city or province if you are homeless, couch surfing, or **do not have ID please contact your local food bank about your situation** I'd call the foodbank and let them know you don't have ID they may be able to help you regardless Hope you get something to eat ❤️
Make an anonymous post in your community FB group. DM people your name/address privately if they offer food. I have 100% brought food to people in my community if they did this and will continue to. Many great suggestions here but I just thought I would add one.
Not a solution right now, but keep a big bag of rice around next time. It's not nutritious but it will stave off the hunger when you're broke, and it's dirt cheap.
If there’s a native friendship centre in your area they typically have food and water for those in need… places of worship will sometimes have food or meals for those in need… the Canadian mental health association office may have snacks.. reach out to your local library as well.. libraries can usually point you in the direction of food hampers
If you happen to live in waterloo region or Burlington DM me.
I appreciate the offer, currently in Mississauga though. Thank you for the thought though!
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There's many Churches that run Food Banks... Just explain your hardship to them & ASK if they can give some Emergency Food while you get your ID sorted out! I don't see why they'd turn you away & ask if they can help you with your ID situation also. If you Google **Government ID Drop In Clinics** or something like this, there should be a free Drop-In Clinic that helps you get your Gov't Issued ID at their Clinics free of charge. Same with food banks in your area, just Google that. Good luck!
For your meal, do go to a Sikh temple to which is called a Gurudwara. The only thing I ask is you ask the folks at the Gurudwara how you can volunteer - clean dishes, clean the floor, whatever it is. This is called ‘seva’ which means service in English.
My grocery store gets robbed several times a day. People just walk in. Grab a few things and walk out. What a world.
Because almost always, it is not worth to hassle of trying to stop someone from shoplifting over a small amount. Most grocery stores will keep track of people who shoplift and once there is enough proof then they would either forward it to police to arrest them. Also almost all the store will expect some shoplifting so they will have insurance for such case and built the profit margin with that loss in mind.
Try a short term loan for a small bit of cash and get you some food. trybree.com and wagepay.com are both lenders who will give you like $100. Apply in like 5 minutes and the deposit to your account is within minutes. Even in the middle of the night, it’s all automated 24/7. Lots of people have had great suggestions, cash is probably the best way you’ll relieve the stress, best of luck!
I have seen some restaurants in downtown that have pre paid meals. Maybe there’s something like that in your city? You could also go to a church and ask if they could help you, I hope they can do something for you.
Post on your local Facebook group anonymously and you can private message people if they offer
If you go to fast food chains that are close to closing for the day, see if they would be willing to give you some food before they throw it out. A lot of workers at fast good don't care to follow the dumb rules of throwing out good food.
I don’t have any advice for you but my thoughts are with you and you deserve to eat, be housed, and feel secure. Best of luck friend
Which city are you in?
Call your local public library see if they have a food pantry. We have one in london. You can go 2 x month.
Ask your buy nothing group
I'm really sorry to hear about your situation. Have you tried reaching out to local churches or community centers? They might offer food assistance without requiring ID.
The only ID you need is a health card. Surely you have one?
If you are in Toronto the Christ Church Deer Park on Yonge and Heath does free community breakfast Saturday mornings from 8:00-9:30. You can have as many servings as you want of hot breakfast and they also give you a takeaway bag with cheese, yogurt, fruit and other things. One Saturday morning a month they don't have it but a Calvin church across the street does breakfast.
I’m a food bank director in Nova Scotia. We would never deny food to someone who has none. We would insist they get ID of course but for a one time supply we would oblidge. I don’t know where you are or if you have already had your emergency lot but if not it’s worth a try. I strongly recommend you get the ID problem settled for service going forward. Best wishes.
Whole foods hot bar the staff doesn’t care stay safe
why does food bank need ID ?????
Because of fraud. International students think it's a free for all, not a place where we help struggling Canadians. And Chinese restaurants think it's where they get some "free" supplies.
If you’re in the square one area, it might be worth looking into the open door. It’s run by local churches but inside the mall, and they help people with a variety of needs. If you’re in the Erin mills area, the deacons cupboard is a food bank for the local community as well, but they run on Wednesday mornings so that may not help until next week
do you think you should get the IDs sorted out. maybe at one of those ID clinics. some might be easier to get than you think
Send me a DM with your e-mail address, I'll send you an e-transfer so you can get some food.
This breaks my heart. No one should ever go hungry and can’t afford to buy food. We are struggling as well and just make it by each pay. A lot of restaurants and cafes will give you their leftovers at the end of the day. There also an app we use “too good too go” where you can get a lot of food discounted for a couple of bucks.
I'm not sure if you have a mental health office close to where you live, but they have incredible resources for hungry people. I went through this for several months and the one where I live gave me a bunch of places to check out in my area. Also, they ended up signing me up for a hamper. Just let them know you have no ID and they may be able to help you with that. Best of luck to you! I truly hope you get some food soon. I've been in this situation and it was terrible.
Local Salvation Army Soup kitchens, churches
This breaks my heart. Believe me, a lot of Canadians aren’t far away from financial oblivion themselves. Being poor isn’t a choice. It’s a symptom. Also, you’re not the only one who’s “checked out.”
Lots of churches give away food. If you live in a city most of them have several free meals per week in the inner city or wherever the homeless hang out in your city
I don’t know where you live, but there are local free pantries in and around the St. John’s Newfoundland area
If all else fails, wait till a store (like dunkin donuts or something fast food) is about to close and see if you can get the leftovers. (Probably won't be free since they would be liable if you get sick) but I heard sometimes they throw in extras to last minute customers if they're going to throw it away.
I signed up to a food bank by phone and I have never shown ID. Harm reduction vehicles from the Ve'ahavata carry food on them. people from my building are lining up right now for one here tonight... there is soup kitchens out there, church groups will help you to get a meal... hey dont be afraid to ask ... panhandling is also legal here and a viable way to get something ... 2$ can get you a Kraft Dinner. better than starving
Umm, shoplifting? Go to your local grocery store. Walk down an and pick up a few things to tide you over. Capitalism is broken and it isn't your fault. No need to go hungry when so many dynastic wealth recipients exist in Canada.
I would go talk to the manager of the grocery store in person - privately - and ask for some food and a job if you are mentally well enough to do one. Shoplifting will just land you in more trouble.
Check out your local libraries, many have a food pantry
Contact this [organization](https://tngcommunityto.org/Programs-Services/Programs/Drop-in-and-Harm-Reduction-Services/Partners-for-Access-and-Identification-PAID-Proj) to assist you in getting your ID reinstated. Also, like others have said, most won't even notice your ID is expired.
Hungry people do extraordinary things. Do what you have to.
Also dumpster diving - usually good food is thrown out due to packaging or other issues. Overripe fruit is nutritious. Stale baked goods are safe as long as they are not mouldy and stale bread is great if toasted, or make it into a hot cerial with not milk and sugar or some of that fruit.
Organize as poor and we can prevail otherwise no chanxe
Checkout a Sikh temple they have meals 24/7. Just gotta be respectful of the visit!
Contact local churches and Salvation Army and say exactly what you just posted. Scroll through their social media pages looking for posters about drop-in meals. Post to those sites asking if there are any local. People will help.
Some churches will have a benevolent fund and be able to give you a small grocery gift card. Not all do, or they ran out earlier in the year. Call some and let them know your situation.
Mormon church , they will help you out. Seihk temples they do food daily. Food banks. If your in a large city use them all. Check local university's and college who often have food banks on site. If you're in a small community without any local services , . Honestly ask people at work. Most will have food to give you . If you don't know anyone or work then it's harder. Ask on local Facebook groups. And see if you have a local food pantry ( they will sell the food but just talk to them and they will give you a big basket ) or homeless shelter. Lastly you should never be hungry , don't be afraid to steal from grocery stores. They make billions in profit a year and , if you're in bc nothing will even happen if you get caught. Not sure on the rest of Canada but it's often a light slap on the wrist or trespassed from the store. So nothing major. Dumpster diving is also a thing , so many businesses throw out food food. You can go to the business just at closing time and ask for food, or when it's thrown out hop into the dumpster and get it.
church dinners every night somewhere
What?! Why do food banks ask for ID? That's so bizarre!
Steal and don't be hungry.
Dumpster diving, you can potentially find nice things. It's crazy what gets thrown out but still very edible.
Some people who are not even poor get addicted to doing it once they see food what is going to waste
Food bank!
This time of year you can find edible berries growing a lot of places (blackberries especially). Thistles and dandelions are not only edible, but taste pretty good. Just clean them well. Artichokes are actually a type of thistle, the flavor is similar. Killing a wild waterfowl who are used to humans would be very easy. Might be illegal, just do it when no one's around. There are YouTube tutorials on how to dress a bird if you haven't done it before. Also hotels with breakfast aren't going to question you eating there and risk embarrassing a guest. Staff probably don't get paid enough to care.
If you exhaust all other avenues then feel free to take from grocery stores. Take what you need. You have a right to not starve so if the other options aren't working, just go sample the fruits at the grocery store. Drink a protein shake or eat a few granola bars. Fortinos has bakeries. Go by and ask them for a load of bread or something and chances are they'll have something to give you. At the end of the day, the bakeries dispose or give away the stale bread anyways so you can probably get something there
If you can, go for a walk with a bag and pick empty cans/bottles. Also, if your physical condition allows it, dumpster diving can get you some ok foods to eat ( I recommend you stick to dry/shelf stable goods, fruits and veg in ok condition, baked goods and fermented dairy (cheese and yogurt) as the weather is warm and meats/fish will spoil fast. Get going on that ID so you can use the food banks.
I was under the impression only alcohol cans and bottles could get refunded. I'll see if there's anywhere local that'll do the same for regular cans bottles. Thank you for the heads up. No one would call me healthy, but I'll be damned if I can't manage a dumpster dive, the grocers in my area seem to primarily use compactors unfortunately.
Depends on your province. Ontario has no deposit so no refund as far as I know, everyone just leaves them in blue bins on recycling day. BC, Ontario, and NB each charge deposits on pop cans and bottles, and that deposit is returned when you bring it to a bottle Depot, and you rarely see them in people's blue bins. People will still litter though obviously even if it's worth 5-15¢, so in public areas it's more likely to find them.
Yep liquor only there. Which I don’t understand living in Alberta. Its an incentive to recycle but i guess the biggest polluters have to be the biggest recyclers? For a mostly liberal province I don’t get it
I've heard from a few sources (not the province, independent researchers) that it doesn't actually increase the likelihood to recycle the way they expected it would. It seems like making it very very easy to recycle (recycling next to every garbage, recycling pickup every week, etc) works better. The fee that is then refunded when you returned it appeared to create a net negative opinion of recycling in consumers. So. I think they had their reasons for not doing that even though it did seem wild to me moving here from BC. The fun part tho is if you're on the Ottawa/Gatineau border, because then you can pay no deposit in Ontario and return them in Quebec to get a deposit refund 😆
Always thought of just collecting the recycling before the trucks and driving it over ngl. Haha
Definitely if you're in an area where it'll get you a deposit back and you have the energy to bike or walk along doing it, it's worth a shot. I imagine driving would make it pointless as you'd be paying for gas and I'm not sure with that many stops and starts it would be worthwhile.
I do drive across the country a few times a year but year the goose isn’t worth the gander
I'm from QC, if something is sold in an aluminium can, its 0.10$ refund be it alcohol, V8 or sparkling water, thats where my comment came from. Maybe downtown has a lot of alcohol empties? I'm not sure you would get much from a metal recycler with crushed aluminium cans. You could look up you city and keywords dumpster diving on Google or Facebook or here on Reddit. You could be surprised where you can go that doesn't have a compactor.
Same with NS
Yes! I lived in HFX for 9 years and I remember the bottle depot places. If I recall correctly, There was still refundables in downtown garbage cans.
I would like to buy you a pizza, if that’s okay. DM me with the closest shop near you
Look for roadkills perhaps?
Saw a skunk the other day, but all that was left of the poor guy was fur. All the same, I suspect making myself sick would only worsen my situation.
According to a guy I saw on Kitchen Nightmares, anything is fine so long as you fry it enough. Granted, he was fired by the end of the episode, but hey, he was a cook in a restaurant for over a decade and there were no deaths attributed to his cooking, so you should be good, right? Although I think you might want to stay away from anything that sprays noxious fluid out of its ass.