On October 11, more than 200 volunteers rolled up their sleeves at Daily Bread Food Bank for this year’s Thanksgiving Public Food Sort—packing an incredible 61,869 pounds of food in a single day. Their hard work and compassion will help thousands of Torontonians who rely on food banks for emergency food access.
We’re deeply grateful to every volunteer who gave their time, and to the Daily Bread staff who gave up part of their weekend to make the event such a success. A special thank-you goes to the Toronto Kapuso Lions Club, who not only helped sort and pack food, but also collected and donated 3,539 lbs of non-perishable food to support their neighbours in need.
The event also brought together community leaders and elected officials who share our commitment to addressing the root causes of poverty and hunger. Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services; Mayor Olivia Chow; MPP Lee Fairclough; MPP Michelle Cooper; MPP Silvia Gualtieri and Deputy Mayor and Councillor Amber Morley joined volunteers on site, each recognizing the power of collective action in building a stronger, more caring city.
“Toronto is a very rich city,” said Mayor Chow. “The cost of living is high, the rent is high, but the salaries are not that high – that is where you come in. You show you care, you show you want to make a difference, and by sorting food, by donating, by coming together, you are sending a message: you are committed to making change together.”
Daily Bread CEO Neil Hetherington also thanked volunteers and emphasized the impact of their work. “Every day we send out about 175,000 pounds of food – that’s equivalent to 175,000 meals going out in our community, and in a city as great as ours is, that shouldn’t be the case. We have the choice of doing something about it or just being mired in those difficult numbers—and you’re choosing to do something about it.”
Daily Bread’s Thanksgiving Drive runs until October 31, with a goal of raising $4.4 million and 225,000 pounds of food to help meet record levels of need across the city. Together, we’re proving that when our community comes together, change is possible.
Donate today to support Daily Bread’s networks of over 200 food programs across the city.
