Emergency Food Baskets

No. The Depot Community Food Centre is a non-profit, community organization. Our services are provided for the community, by the community, to support people going through vulnerable times. Over 70 volunteers contribute each week to ensure the smooth running of our EFB program, and many more members of our community contribute by donating money and food.

We serve residents of the following postal codes: H3W, H3X, H3Z, H4A, H4B, H4V, H4W, H4X, H8R Call us at 514-483-4680 to make an appointment to register and pick up your first basket. You will need ID and proof of address, but no proof of income is necessary.

You can come for a basket up to 2 times per month, as you need to. Service hours are Tuesdays, 2pm-7pm, and Fridays, 10am-2pm.
Community meals are open to all and are served during service hours — you do not need to be picking up a basket to get a free, healthy meal.

The Depot operates with the mission of Good Food for All and promotes the consumption of whole foods to support overall wellness, and to combat diet-related disease. We recognize that healthier foods are more expensive and often less accessible so we focus our efforts on providing fresh, whole and nutrient dense foods in our programs and as staples in the Emergency Food Baskets. Each basket contains:

• Canned or dried beans, lentils, or other legumes
• Whole grains (oats, pot barley, couscous, bulgur, quinoa, millet, etc.)
• Canned tomatoes or tomato sauce
• Pasta and/or rice
• Canned fish (tuna, salmon, sardines, etc.)
• Bread
• Milk (regular or non-dairy)
• Eggs

You will also find plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables which will vary according to season and availability. In addition to this we may also give out “extras.” These items will vary in quantity and variety according to what we have in stock. Your food basket is prepared by volunteers, who will give you the opportunity to choose between similar items (for example, white rice or brown rice). There are no substitutions. The basket is designed to provide approximately three days of food for your household size.

Call 211 to be referred to food assistance programs in your area, or search on 211qc.ca.

The Depot offers resources and referrals to other community services that deal with everything from housing to legal aid to mental and physical health. Drop in at the resource table during service hours, or make an appointment with Susan: resources@depotmtl.org or 514 483 4680 x 206.

Our Emergency Food Baskets are intended to support people who are struggling to make ends meet and feed themselves or their families.
If you’re looking to bring more fresh and healthy foods into your life you may want to check out The Depot’s other free programs: you can learn and share healthy cooking and nutrition skills, prepare and share meals, grow and bring home healthy produce, and connect with people of all ages. We also encourage people to build social connections, new skills and a greater sense of community by volunteering with us.
For more information call us at 514 483 4680.

The Depot operates with the mission of Good Food for All and promotes the consumption of whole foods to support overall wellness, and to combat diet-related disease. We recognize that healthier foods are more expensive and often less accessible so we focus our efforts on providing fresh, whole and nutrient dense foods in our programs and as staples in the Emergency Food Baskets. In order to provide balanced and reliable baskets to our participants, we are asking members of our community to focus their donations on the following items:

• Canned or dry beans, lentils and legumes
• Canned fish (tuna, salmon, sardines, etc)
• Canned tomatoes and tomato sauce
• Pasta (especially whole wheat)
• Rice (especially brown)
• Other whole grains (oats, pot barley, bulgur, quinoa, millet, etc.)

You can also sign up as a monthly donor, which allows us to direct your cash donation toward the items most needed at the time. If you would like to organize a food or fund drive with your school, team, friends or at work, please check out our Toolkit. Thanks for your support!