The Barrie Food Bank, located in Barrie, Ontario, has unveiled a new $108,000 refrigerated van aimed at enhancing its food recovery and distribution capabilities. Executive Director Karen Shuh stated that with the fleet of three vehicles, the food bank expects to process over 2 million pounds of donated food each month to support the 8,000 individuals relying on their services. The new van provides more cargo space and refrigeration compared to older vehicles, allowing staff and volunteers to operate more efficiently. The funding for the van was provided by Food Banks Canada through the School Food Infrastructure Fund, highlighting the growing need for food assistance, particularly among children. The Barrie Food Bank serves 34 local schools, providing healthy snacks to over 8,500 children. The addition of this van coincides with the conclusion of the food bank's 'Spring to Action' campaign, which raised nearly $200,000 and collected almost 200,000 pounds of food.