Cans for a Cause: How you can help a Windsor charity until next spring

Society of St. Vincent de Paul volunteers Dave Leslie and Jennifer Wilson sort food donations in Windsor, Ont., on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (Michelle Maluske/CTV Windsor)

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP) has been relying on Cans for a Cause for the last 21 years to feed those in need in our community.

“From the end of Cans for a Cause, throughout the program we will receive approximately 30 skids of food that will be stacked six feet high,” Jennifer Wilson tells CTV News. “That usually will last us until late spring.”

She is the food security chairperson for the SSVP whose responsibilities include organizing all of the donations they hope to collect on Friday, Dec. 13.

All day Bell Media radio stations in Windsor (including AM800, Virgin Radio and Today’s Country) will be broadcasting live from Devonshire Mall.

On-air staff will be joined by volunteers to collect non-perishable food donations and to drum up financial support.

“We literally spent the last of last year's dollars just on Tuesday this week, making the purchases we needed because we were out of pork and beans and they were on sale,” Wilson said.

Donors can drop food items off inside Devonshire Mall near the food court or outside at a tent behind The Keg.

Financial donations can be made by calling 519-966-CANS (2267) or donate online. https://bit.ly/21stAnnualCans4ACause

“Christmas time is the season of giving; a season of love and friendship,” SSVP volunteer Dave Leslie explains to CTV. “There's a lot of people that don't experience that.”