Community Caring for Community
Barrie Families Unite (BFU) was founded on March 14, 2020, as a grassroots Facebook initiative created to connect neighbours with neighbours during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. What began as a simple way to help families access groceries, clothing, and emergency essentials quickly grew into a community-wide movement built on one simple belief: community is strongest when we care for one another.
Today, Barrie Families Unite operates through two complementary organizations. As a Registered Charity, we raise funds, build community partnerships, and accept charitable donations that make our work possible. Our Not-for-Profitorganization operates The Give Back Rack, an innovative social enterprise thrift store where revenue generated through public shopping helps sustain our programs and expand our impact.
Through partnerships with local charitable and community agencies, individuals and families experiencing financial hardship receive in-store shopping credits that allow them to select the clothing, footwear, linens, household essentials, and other necessities they need—free of charge. Rather than simply receiving donated items, our model empowers people to shop with dignity, choice, and independence.
Every donation, every purchase, and every volunteer hour helps create a sustainable cycle of giving: community members shop and donate, charitable support strengthens our mission, and together we ensure that essential needs remain accessible to those who need them most.
At Barrie Families Unite, we believe that dignity changes lives. That’s why everything we do is rooted in respect, powered by community, and focused on creating lasting impact.
Community Caring for Community isn’t just our tagline—it’s how we work every day to build a stronger, more compassionate community.
