COVID-19 and Second Harvest

At Second Harvest the health and safety of our staff, volunteers, guests and community partners is our top priority. Here are some of the adjustments we have made to our programs and services, as recommended by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

As an essential service, Second Harvest will continue providing food deliveries and pick-ups. We are continuing to closely monitor the situation and will provide timely updates to you if/when we make any changes to our services.

Food Delivery & Pick-up Service Protocols

For the health, safety and protection of our frontline staff and community partners, here are our safety protocols for deliveries and pick-ups:

• Deliveries to agencies: Second Harvest drivers will place food donations on the edge of the truck and maintain a 2-metre distance from the edge of the truck. Agency staff/volunteers are asked to load their food donations from the truck, rather than our drivers passing them to you by hand. Please ensure you are prepared to receive food donations and have the appropriate personnel, equipment, etc. ready.
• Food pick-ups from Second Harvest’s warehouse: If your organization picks up from the Second Harvest warehouse, staff will place selected food donations on the edge of our dock, maintaining a 2-metre distance from the edge. Agency staff/volunteers are asked to load their food donations from the dock’s edge, rather than our warehouse staff passing it to you by hand. Please ensure you are prepared to receive food donations and have the appropriate personnel, equipment, etc. ready.

Here are the safety protocols for Second Harvest trucks and drivers:

• No one, except for the Second Harvest driver, is permitted to go on a Second Harvest truck.
• All trucks are equipped with hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and tissues which our drivers are instructed to use after and before each delivery and pick-up.
• Drivers will wear protective masks during deliveries and pick-ups.
• If your organization has been impacted by a case(s) of COVID-19, it is mandatory that you report this information to Second Harvest immediately.

We recognize that this situation is evolving and dynamic in nature and the above directives may change over time. We will endeavor to keep you updated as this situation progresses. To learn more about the COVID-19 pandemic, including symptoms, prevention, and other issues, please click to visit Public Health Agency of Canada or the World Health Organization.

If you have any questions, please contact our Rose Barcarse, Community Programs Manager, at roseb@secondharvest.ca or call 416-408-2594.

Update: Toronto Taste 2021

After careful consideration of ongoing COVID-19 developments, we have decided to cancel Toronto Taste for 2021.

We will be hosting new fundraisers this year and encourage you to follow us on social @SecondHarvestCA for updates and to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest on these special events.

Volunteers

At Second Harvest our priority is the health and safety of our staff and volunteers. Due to the need for social distance of 2 metres, we will not be able to accommodate volunteer driver assistants until further notice.

While many of our volunteer activities are on pause, we may have remote or upcoming opportunities for in-person volunteering. If you would like to register as a Second Harvest volunteer, please complete your application here.

If you would like to make a donation to support our ongoing efforts in providing food to those who need it most during this challenging time, please click below.

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