Trenton Care & Share Food bank

• Identification for all whom assistance is being applied for in the household (i.e. drivers license; birth certificate; health card)
• A current piece of mail showing your address in Quinte West

No appointment is necessary. Clients are served in the order of their arrival. 

• Anyone in your household may visit on behalf of your household if they have the necessary documentation and are 18 years of age or older. If a member outside of your household is picking up on your behalf, you must contact the food bank prior to their arrival to confirm.
• Evening hours: We are open on the first and third Thursday of the month from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM for working families.
• If you cannot visit during regular operating hours, please contact the food bank manager at manager@trentonfoodbank.ca or 613-394-5551.
• Deliveries are dependent on availability of volunteers however, if you are unable to attend the food bank and are in need of food, contact us and we will do our best to accommodate you.

•  Each household visit to the food bank must be at least 28 days (4 weeks) since their last visit. 

Food quantities are based on how many people are in the household and we try to supply 1 week of food. 

• We distribute non-perishable items (canned, boxed or otherwise pre-packed).
• Based on availability, we also distribute meat, eggs, milk, fresh produce and bread.

• Even though a food item is past its “best before” date, it doesn’t mean it is not good or safe to eat. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency site states: “Best-before dates are not indicators of food safety, neither before nor after the date. You can buy and eat foods after the best-before date has passed.” Many people waste food because of their concern about food safety when the date on the label has passed. Date labels on food are for nutritional or food quality, not food safety.
• Most food does not expire. There are three types of date labels found on most foods in Canada: 1) Expiry date – limited to special diet foods including infant formula, meal replacements, and nutritional supplements. 2) Best before date – for food that may spoil within 90 days of being made. 3) Optional date – for foods that keep their quality longer than 90 days (e.g. shelf-stable foods sold in cans, jars, and bottles; dry goods such as crackers, rice, and pasta). Shelf-stable foods often keep good quality and safety months to years past the best before date, if stored properly.
• Canned good with low acid (such as canned meat, fish, stew, soup, beans, corn, peas, spinach or pasta) can be kept for 2-5 years unopened in storage. Canned goods with high acid (such as juices fruit, pickles, sauerkraut, tomato soup and foods in vinegar) can be kept for 12-18 months in storage.
• If you have questions about specific food products, feel free to visit the manufacturer’s website to see their policy on the best before dates they include on their products.
• For more details about food safety, check out the Safe Food for Canadians Act, Food Bank Canada’s Guideline for Distributing Food Past the Best Before Date and this article on how to Keep Food Safe to Reduce Waste.

We do not consistently receive pet food donations, but when we do they are distributed. Please ask us if we have any on hand! 

•  Free Lunch Programs – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at At The Crossroads Church (24 Dundas Street West, Trenton) and Thursday & Friday at St. James Anglican Fellowship (15 South Street, Trenton). For more information, visit the Catherine’s Kitchen website.
• Frankford Food Pantry – For those located in the Frankford area. Click here for more details or call 613-398-6386.
• Good Food Box – Opportunity to purchase healthy fruits and vegetables for your family at great prices. Click here or contact the Program Secretary at 613-962-0000 ext. 233 for details.
• Good Baby Box – Helping you reduce the costs in providing your baby with everything they need for a healthy start. Click here or contact Bev at 613-968-2466 for details.
• Contact us today for a full list of food programs offered in Quinte West. 

• You can bring food donations directly to the food bank during operating hours.
• You can also bring your donations to one of our many drop-box locations, which can be found at the following businesses in our community: Freshco, Metro and Smylies Independent. Please make sure that donations brought to these locations are non-perishable.

• You can make a cheque out to “Trenton Food Bank” and mail it to:
  Trenton Care & Share Food Bank, 30 Pelham Street, Suite 2, Trenton, ON  K8V 5A7.
• You can bring a cash or cheque donation directly to the food bank during operating hours.
• You can donate online here, through CanadaHelps. Please note that CanadaHelps will deduct up to 4% off your donation to cover their own administrative costs.
• You can donate via e-transfer by emailing: manager@trentonfoodbank.ca.
  Please use the password careshare. Also, please provide your full name and mailing address so a donation receipt can be mailed to you.

Both monetary and food donations are beneficial and gladly accepted. Monetary donations allow us to cover additional expenses that are essential to running the food bank (i.e. transportation of donations), as well as allowing us to stock up on food items when they go on sale. Food donations provide us with direct, specific and immediate ways to serve our clients.

There are several different ways you can volunteer with the food bank:

• Regular weekly volunteers. These volunteers commit to helping weekly on a specific morning of the week. If this is something you’re interested in, please contact the food bank manger at 613-394-5551 or manager@trentonfoodbank.ca to check availability.
• Organize a food drive. We love it when people organize a food drive within their own sphere of influence and donate the proceeds to Care & Share. This not only is a great way to bring in donations, but also increases awareness of what the food bank does in our community.

Yes, please contact the food bank manager at 613-394-5551 or manager@trentonfoodbank.ca to arrange the details.

Yes, please contact the food bank manager at 613-394-5551 or manager@trentonfoodbank.ca to discuss the details.

Yes, we do. Please ensure these donations are dropped off directly to the food bank during operating hours to ensure timely distribution and/or storage in fridge or freezer.

We accept donations of pet food.

Yes, all donations that are $10 or more are tax receipt-able, if a mailing address has been provided. You will receive a receipt in the mail in January 2025.