A New Food Bank Concept is Launched in Quebec: Welcome Hall Mission Officially Inaugurates Marche Bon Accueil

MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Sept. 13, 2017) - Welcome Hall Mission, headquarters of the largest direct-to-public food aid program, is proud today to officially inaugurates its Marché Bon Accueil. This new market, offering fresh and nonperishable foods, is proposing a different grocery shopping experience and will redefine the concept of traditional food banks.

"We wanted to completely rethink how we serve our customers," said Sam Watts, President and CEO of Welcome Hall Mission. Nobody ever wants to use food aid, but life sometimes takes turns that we do not foresee. That's why we decided to set up a free grocery store - a bit like the one you could find just around the corner. "

Clients who come to Marché Bon Accueil are already members of the large Welcome Hall Mission family as they had to pre-qualify according to their family income. Upon arriving at their appointment time, they must present their membership card and take a grocery cart. They can then walk down the aisles and choose foods of their choice depending on the size of their family. Once their selection is complete, they go to the "cashier" and present their card, as they would at the local grocery store. The card tells the system how big their family is so that the volunteer cashier can make sure that the right number of items has been selected. The food is then packed in bags and the customers leave with its grocery.

"This new approach allows us to serve our customers with respect and dignity. Without exception, our customers tell us that they are very happy to have the opportunity to choose their own items in a warm and welcoming atmosphere," concluded Mr. Watts.

When entering the market, people have access to a variety of services that are there to help them get out of poverty. From French classes, job search assistance, free dental services and various other resources, these services allow them to take matters into their own hands and get out of this temporary situation.

A food offer full of freshness

The market is offering a variety of foods, consisting of about a quarter of fresh produce, about a half of perishable products and 22% of non-perishable food items. More than half (58%) of the food comes from donations from grocery stores, local growers and individuals. Another 39% is provided by Moisson Montréal and Welcome Hall Mission purchases the remaining 3% at an estimated annual price of $ 265,000.

The Marché Bon Accueil is proud to count on faithful partners who can help feed more people every week. The development of these partnerships is also a way for Welcome Hall Mission to help redistribute wealth while reducing food waste, as it is estimated that nearly 40% of food is wasted every year, often thrown away by supermarkets, restaurants and hotels.

Welcome Hall Mission's great expertise in food distribution enables them to maximize the impact of the donations they receive in order to increase food supply. For example, they have invested over the years in equipment that help keeping foods longer and doing a better inventory rotation. In addition, Welcome Hall Mission constantly negotiates with wholesalers to get as many products as possible, buying on average for nearly ten dollars of food for every dollar donated.

Eating healthy foods with the help of Montrealers

Each week, more than 2,263 people from all over Montreal can eat healthy food from Marché Bon Accueil. In total, nearly one million kilograms of food is distributed each year to more than 110,000 people.

Located at 4755 E, Acorn Street, in the southwest of Montreal, Marché Bon Accueil is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 8:30 AM to noon and from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM. It also opens from 1 to 7 PM on Thursdays to accommodate people who can't come during the day. In order to be able to open its doors that frequently, Welcome Hall Mission is proud to count on the commitment of hundreds of volunteers who take care of setting up the food and taking care of the clients every week. About 35 volunteers are required every day to operate the market.

About Welcome Hall Mission

Established in 1892, Welcome Hall Mission has become the largest doorway to help for Montrealers in need. Many programs are available to support the homeless, young single mothers, families, children and youth. Welcome Hall Mission gives them hope through concrete actions and effective solutions to help them improve their lives and reintegrate into society.

To follow Welcome Hall Mission:

Website: welcomehallmission.com

Facebook: facebook.com/MissionBonAccueil

Youtube: youtube.com/user/whmba

Twitter: twitter.com/whmba

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/2528106?trk=tyah