The need for affordable, fresh food is real. This is why Mayor Bonnie Crombie and The Mississauga Food Bank have teamed up to launch Mayor Crombie’s 2022 Holiday Food Drive. The campaign, sponsored by the Nissan Canada Foundation, has a goal of raising $1,700,000 and 450,000 pounds of food by January 6, 2023. 

The campaign begins in the face of an urgent and pressing need to meet the growing demand for food bank services across Mississauga. With food inflation in Canada hovering around 10% year-over-year according to Statistics Canada, The Mississauga Food Bank is seeing 30,000 clients using our services compared to 19,000 pre-pandemic, an increase of nearly 60 percent.

The community’s continued support of Mayor Crombie’s Holiday Food Drive ensures that our neighbours facing food insecurity will have access to healthy and nutritious food for this holiday season and beyond.

“Many of our City’s residents continue to struggle to put food on their table, and that need becomes acutely felt during the holiday season. Your gift will help ensure that those who are struggling with inflation and food insecurity will be able to enjoy a family meal this holiday season,” said Mayor Crombie. “For nearly a decade, Mississaugans have come together to support our community and neighbours in need through my annual food drives, helping to raise over $2.5 million and over 1.9 million pounds of food. This year, more than ever, I am asking for your support and generosity as our community continues to grapple with the impact of the pandemic.” 

“Neighbours in need are being forced to make sacrifices, but it still isn’t enough to make ends meet and 45% of food bank users in Mississauga report having to go without food for at least one meal each month,” says Meghan Nicholls, CEO of The Mississauga Food Bank. “This should not be accepted as the norm for anybody in our community. As we come together with our loved ones, we reflect on how fortunate we are to gather around a table full of food, and how we must also help those who are struggling to do so this holiday season.”

Whether you want to rally your community, coworkers, school or family to get involved in Mayor Crombie’s Holiday Food Drive, there is an initiative that is right for you. Consider making a monetary donation or organizing a fundraiser by creating a personalized fundraising page. Join Mayor Crombie’s Corporate Challenge and compete against other Mississauga-based companies to raise the most funds and food. Your monetary donations enable The Mississauga Food Bank to purchase food in bulk directly from the manufacturer which avoids the retailer markup. You can also organize a food drive to collect urgently needed food donations. Additionally, keep an eye out for a team of volunteers at your local grocery store next month where you can make donations of funds and food.

As a festive and fun way to get involved, The Mississauga Food Bank also invites the community to participate in 12 Days of Giving. From December 1 to 12, collect the twelve food and household items your neighbours need the most. Put your donations in a box, decorate the unsealed box with holiday cheer, add a personal holiday message, and deliver it to The Mississauga Food Bank during office hours or at any local fire station. All are also welcome to drop off their donations on Saturday, December 17, between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. at the Holiday Drive-Thru Food Drive. For more information, please visit www.themississaugafoodbank.org/12days.

The 2022 Holiday Food Drive is proudly sponsored by the Nissan Canada Foundation.

“We are proud to partner with The Mississauga Food Bank since 2011, and kick off the Holiday Food Drive to once again to provide food to those in need this holiday season,” says Steve Milette, President, NCI. “This time of year can be tough with many of our neighbours struggling, so we will continue lending a helping hand to all who need it, and support our vision to make a long lasting positive impact in our communities through the Nissan Canada Foundation.”

Mayor Crombie’s Holiday Food Drive runs until January 6, 2022. To learn more and get involved, visit www.themississaugafoodbank.org/holiday.