We are grateful to have a community of talented volunteers who share their personal experiences, talents, and reflections with us. Many of our volunteers understand the realities and pain of hunger and are passionate about giving back to their communities.
Food insecurity affects 25% of households in Ottawa. Stacy P., an Ottawa Food Bank Reception and Event Development Volunteer, reflects on the experience of a mother struggling to provide for her family, and the hope that food banks can bring in times of need.
In the poem that follows, Stacy gives voice to these lived experiences, reflecting both on struggle and hope.
The Empty Cupboard
In quiet homes on quiet streets,
Where maple trees in autumn sleep,
A silent hunger stirs at night—
An empty plate, a faded light.
Not every table knows a feast,
Not every child has bread at least.
The fridge hums on, but nothing’s there,
Just hope, and dust, and colder air.
A mother counts what she can’t spend,
The rent, the bills, they never end.
She skips her meal without a sound,
So little feet keep running round.
And here, where Parliament stands tall,
Where wealth and power grace the hall,
Still families wait in silent line
For food that should be yours and mine.
But there’s a place where kindness grows,
Where empathy and action flow—
The Ottawa Food Bank’s open door,
To give, to help, to ask no more.
They bring fresh bread and dignity,
A can of soup, some sanity.
A meal, a smile, a chance to cope,
A box of food, a box of hope.
But they can’t do it all alone,
Each apple shared, each bag of scone—
Comes from a heart that dares to care,
A soul who knows they too could wear
The shoes of need, the coat of lack,
The weight of always holding back.
So if you can, please give today,
A dollar goes a long, long way.
Let no child sleep with stomach bare,
Let no one feel that no one cares.
A full plate is a human right—
Let’s turn this hunger into light.
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