Town of Essex to look into helping food bank relocate

Essex administration will look into what real estate options the town might be able to offer the Essex Area Food Bank as it hunts for a new home.

Council heard from the food bank’s treasurer, Lonnie Jones, Monday night about why they can’t stay in the basement of the United Church and why they can’t close up shop entirely.

As a result, council voted unanimously to start looking into how town hall can help.

"I for one was many times in the very first Essex Food Bank," Ward 2 Councillor Kim Verbeek stated at the meeting.

"I think we have to look at ways that we can support you and all the hard work you do."

Ward 3 Councillor Brad Allard also said he’s used the food bank – as Jones pointed out many members of the community do.

"We feed the needy," he said.

"Our neighbours. In my case, high school friends. In my case, a relative."

Data provided by the Essex Area Food Bank shows they help an average of 240 people a week.

Because of their current location, that means a lot of people carrying a lot of stuff up and down stairs.

"Let’s be honest," Verbeek said.

"Those stairs have to be very restrictive because a lot of the volunteers you’re relying on are retirees."

Jones said they had an ideal location lined up – the former home to Schinkels’ Meat, complete with walk-in fridge and freezer – but an Essex bylaw stole the deal away from them.

"We had the deal all signed, ready to go and we got a note from the town saying we’re not allowed on the main street," Jones told CTV News.

So the Food Bank team also asked council to take a look at the logistics of that bylaw, which blocks foodbanks from setting up in a business district.

And council agreed.

"Sometimes by-laws get antiquated and we need to review them and see if they’re still serving the community," Mayor Sherry Bondy said.

The food bank must now wait for the town to look into its two asks before returning to town hall for next steps.