Parishioners from two churches in North Bay are coming together to collect food donations this long weekend to ensure people don’t go hungry this Thanksgiving.
Organizers have dubbed it the ‘Stuff the Bus Food Drive.’
The fundraiser started Friday at 5 p.m. and runs until 3 p.m. Sunday.
A school bus has been parked in the parking lot out front of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church on Memorial Drive where parishioners from the church as well as parishioners from St. John the Divine Anglican Church were stuffing the bus with food and hygiene donations collected.
This is the first time the churches are using the bus to collect donations. The churches are also collecting cash donations.
“We really appreciate it. North Bay has a big heart,” said Roy Malette a parishioner with the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or whether you’re a church-goer or not. If you’re hungry, the food donated is available.”
Once the food drive is finished, the bus will drop the food and cash donations off at the North Bay Food Bank, Callander Food Bank, various catholic charities, the Open Arms Café and the St. John the Divine food shelf.
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Malette told CTV News due to the current state of grocery prices and cost of living, more donations are needed to help area food banks provide meals to those who rely on the services.
“The most concerning is the food banks themselves are struggling,” said Malette.
“They’re struggling to make ends meet. So you know when the food banks are struggling, you know there’s a big problem.”
By Sunday morning, each bus seat was filled with all types of non-perishable food items and other much-needed hygiene products like toilet paper rolls, toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Organizers said helping the hungry and the food banks during a financially tough time makes them feel blessed.
“We’ve done a lot of these fundraisers over the years and the response and smiles people bring in is incredible,” said Malette.
Malette said the church will still be accepting donations into next week for those who missed the event this weekend.
