Community digs deep for the Gift of Giving Back

One of the biggest local fundraising efforts of the year wound up last week with over $500,000 in donations committed to seven local charities.

The annual Gift Of Giving Back drive — spearheaded by local sports clubs — is returning to form after reduced activity during the pandemic years.

In the past, the oganizers have measured the weight of goods collected; this year they followed the guidance of Feed Ontario (Food Banks Canada) and gave each pound a value of $3.21, raising a total of $510,000.

The Burlington Barracudas and the Burlington Eagles are the lead fundraising teams involved and while donations are not back to pre-pandemic levels, the community again responded with gusto.

The teams started the Gift of Giving Back initiative in 2007, making this its 15th year.

One charity which will benefit enormously from the generosity is the Burlington Food Bank, which has seen demand rise by more than 80 per cent over the last three years.

"These donations will go a long way in ensuring that the food security is well stocked through the holiday season and into the new year," Executive Director Robin Bailey said. "It is also a huge boost to our volunteers as they see the community getting behind the vital work that we do."

Bailey described the energy among the young people involved as "most impressive".

"Though the volume was down in comparison to pre-Covid years of The Gift of Giving Back, it was a great success in the first full year back to how the Gift has operated in the past and is a very hopeful sign going forward," he said.

"MM Robinson students, during the move out, were so helpful and energetic in supporting us and you could see that they were happy to do their part."

The other six charitable recipients were: Food for Life, Compassion Society, Salvation Army Burlington, Carpenter Hospice, Halton Women's Place and ROCK (Reach Out Centre for Kids).

Thanking the young volunteers for their dedication, founder Jean Longfield said: "Thank you doing what you do so well. We put the call out and you always respond and not just a little but with your whole hearts. It is just amazing to see. We live in a great community."