Group on a mission to create Burlington's biggest food drive ever

Last month, about 900 households turned to the Burlington Food Bank for help - just one of the agencies offering support for local families - and the winter months promise to be even more challenging.

It’s a need that one group of local residents and business owners is driven to do something about. And, by harnessing the power of working together, they are coordinating what they hope will be the biggest food drive in the city’s history.

Burlington Helping Burlington launches Oct. 1, just as National Food Donation Month kicks off, and will last for 91 days. By the end of the year, organizers hope to amass 5,000 pounds of food and cash donations to support 10 local agencies.

Behind it are the folks who run the Burlington Together and Burlington Men Facebook groups, along with small business owners Daryl Fowler of Flashe Gas HVAC and Mike Desjardins of Pets N Groom.

The initiative is taking off quickly: it took just a week to assemble a team that will register businesses that want to participate, drop off collection bins and facilitate getting donations to the agencies.

“Already, everybody wants in,” said Desjardins.

All food donations will support the Burlington Food Bank and Food 4 Kids Halton, while cash contributions will be directed to Compassion Society of Halton, Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK), Rotary Club of Burlington, United Way Halton, Halton Women’s place, Shifra Homes, Carpenter House and Woodview Mental Health and Autism Centre.

How it works

Organizers have used the city’s six wards as boundaries; for each area, a representative of the Burlington Helping Burlington team will coordinate the drop boxes at participating local businesses and assist with food picks ups and cash donations.

Businesses who want to take part can install a bin on site, and are encouraged to create their own events or programs, such as offering discounts in exchange for donations, starting a challenge with other local businesses to see who can collect the most, and promoting each other’s events on social media, to name a few.

Neighourhood groups can get in on the fun. Individuals can get a bin to collect food outside their homes or organize community bottle/can drives. Kids and families can get involved, by hosting bake sales or lemonade stands, or even a street party. And everyone can help by promoting their activities on social media.

“We hope to have several ‘drives’ occurring simultaneously at various locations, with the support of ward representatives, local businesses and various neighbourhood initiatives,” noted  Desjardins and Sean Campbell, an admin on the BurlingtonTogether page. “We know from past experience that when we come together, Burlington is an overwhelmingly generous community force to be reckoned with.

“By using our powers for the good of all, we can provide a substantial amount of food for the upcoming holiday and winter season to the Food Bank as well as contribute financially to some of our most cherished charities that support so many in our community.”

For more information, contact the team at [email protected] or visit our Facebook page Burlington Helping Burlington.