‘We’ve been there all ourselves’: Wortley based grassroots food and toy drive helping more families every year

A food and toy drive in Old South is aiming to help 250 families this holiday season. CTV’s Bryan Bicknell explains.

Those who live in London’s Old South neighbourhood may already be familiar with them, but in just six years a grass-roots initiative that helps families in need over the holidays finds itself growing larger each year and making an impact across the city.

“We’re just organizing, so we have 250 families that we’re helping this year locally with food, toys, clothes,” said Angie Reeves of the Mylie Group Annual Food and Toy Drive, which organizes the campaign every holiday season.

“Actually, we meet wish lists for Rotholme House, Anova’s women’s shelter, and some of the schools in the area as well,” she added.

The campaign is based out of the office of the Mylie Group Realty Brokerage in Wortley Village, which transforms into a community hub for the holidays.

It began in 2019 when partners Angie and Krista Reeves, and their co-organizer Amanda DiLoreto, decided they wanted to give back. It started with 40 families and grew from there, according to DiLoreto.

“We see a lot of need, and what we’re doing is just a small little thing, and we’d love to help more,” she said.

Rather than just donating random gifts, the annual drive aims to tailor the donations to each family’s needs.

“Because we go direct to families and we get wish lists from them that we’re able to fulfill, when you don’t see that same family on the list the next year, it instills that hope that we’re making a difference,” explained Krista.

For each woman, the initiative comes from a place of personal experience.

“My family was in a women’s shelter on Christmas when I was a kid, and I remember my mom getting a gift that I thought was well-intended and donated, but it just wasn’t selected for her. So, for me, from that day on, I decided as an adult when I was able to, I wanted to give back to our community in a more meaningful way,” she explained.

After months of collecting and organizing donations from the community, delivery days are set for Dec. 15 and 16.

“We’ve been there all ourselves, so we just feel humbled to be able to do this. To be honest with you, we’re grateful that we have the community that supports us to do this each year,” said Angie.

If you’d like to help support the food and toy drive, you can drop off donations at the Mylie Group office, located at 171 Wortley Rd. in London.