Food drive collects 4500 lbs for Salvation Army food bank

World Homeless Day Food Drive in Windsor, Ont., on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (Source: Salvation Army)

The Salvation Army Windsor Centre of Hope has stocked shelves thanks to a successful food drive.

The city-wide food drive on Oct. 12 was in partnership with Windsor Police, LaSalle Police, Tailgate Takeout, Windsor Loblaws, Metro, and No Frills, bringing awareness to the important issue of homelessness in the community and support those in need.

This year they collected 4500 lbs of food and $8000, thanks to the support of crucial community partners and donors. This is the second year The Salvation Army has put on this food drive, with last year collecting over 2,000 lbs of food and over $3,000 in monetary donations to support its food bank.

By holding this food drive, the Salvation Army’s goal was to replenish their food bank and to be prepared to meet a growing demand for those using their food program services.

As the cost-of-living increases, executive director Jason Linton says the need for the organization’s services will grow as the number of families requiring food assistance in Windsor continues to rise.

“We’re anticipating serving more families this year than last—a trend we’re seeing not just here in Windsor, but across the province,” said Linton. “Nearly 30% of those we serve are children and teens aged 18 and younger, and on average, we assist more than 600 families per month. Families who have never needed help before are now turning to our services, making it more crucial than ever to be ready to provide critical supports.”

Salvation Army officials say the food bank has seen a decrease in donations.

"When we see less food on our shelves day-to-day, that’s a bleak reminder of the reality so many people are facing. It’s important for our community to know that The Salvation Army is here for them through transformative programming, and that no one should hesitate to reach out when they need it help,” says Linton.

The Salvation Army encourages everyone to assist all food banks in the greater Windsor region not only around the holidays, but throughout the year.

"In the last year, we've assisted more than 600 families per month in our food bank," said Community Engagement Specialist with The Salvation Army Windsor Centre of Hope Shannon Barnwell. "Our food bank is open three days a week, and we serve a lot of families and children. A lot of them, 30 per cent is younger than 18 years of age."

She explained, "It was a great success and I think a huge reason was because of the participation we had from our community partners. Windsor and LaSalle police were huge this year."

Barnwell added, "Just by being out in the community, people can see that we're trying to get as many donations as we can, especially with that upcoming Christmas season too. The need is so much greater for those families, especially with the decrease in the donations we've been receiving."