Mayor Crombie’s 2020 Thanksgiving Food Drive has surpassed expectations to raise $250,000 and 170,000 pounds of food for The Mississauga Food Bank. Together, thanks to the support of the community, the food drive has exceeded its goals and raised $502,043 and 237,544 pounds of food.
“Mayor Crombie’s Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive is a key fundraising event for The Mississauga Food Bank. This year, it’s more important than ever due to COVID-19. As we look to the year ahead with much uncertainty, the funds and food raised this Thanksgiving will feed our hungry neighbours, allow us to purchase our most needed food at bulk prices, support our agencies across Mississauga, and enable us to expand our programs and operations to better serve our community,” says Meghan Nicholls, CEO of The Mississauga Food Bank.
With 15 per cent of the population falling beneath the poverty line, food security continues to be a serious issue in Mississauga. Since March, almost 26,000 of our neighbours have visited a food bank to help feed themselves and their families, 10,000 more people than the year prior. This September alone, food banks across the city had 13,000 visitors and distributed 143 per cent more food than last September.
“Thanks to the community, we once again not only met but exceeded our goals this year! Mississauga continues to demonstrate compassion and generosity for helping those in need. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone. In the face of adversity, Mississauga stepped up and gave back, representing the true spirit of our City. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who donated and helped make this campaign a success, ensuring no one in Mississauga went hungry this Thanksgiving season,” said Mayor Crombie. “While the Mayor’s Thanksgiving Food Drive has now ended, the need for food in our city never stops. I know our community will continue to help meet the need in the weeks and months to come.”
Since 2015, Mayor Crombie’s annual food drive has raised over $1.9 million and over 1.5 million pounds of food. See the mayor’s thank you video here.
The campaign is proudly sponsored by Tim Hortons Restaurant Owners of Mississauga.
Top left: Mayor Crombie, Donny the Donation Bag, and Meghan Nicholls, CEO of The Mississauga Food Bank.
Top right: Food bank volunteers collect food and financial donations at local grocery stores.
Bottom left: Athletes from the Mississauga Senators hockey team drop off food from their team’s food drive.
Bottom right: Paramount Fine Foods delivers a donation of 500 chickens to help feed our hungry neighbours.
