Mayor Crombie Issues City-Wide Food Drive Challenge

For Immediate Release

September 19, 2016

Mayor Crombie Issues City-Wide Food Drive Challenge

Mississauga – Today, Mayor Crombie launched the Mayor’s second annual Food Drive Challenge in partnership with The Mississauga Food Bank and Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services. The initiative challenges Mississauga residents to raise enough food and funds to support hungry families who need help this Thanksgiving and beyond.

“Many of our most vulnerable residents are often the same individuals who rely on foodbanks,” Mayor Crombie said. “I am pleased to launch the 2016 Food Drive Challenge as a part of The Mississauga Food Bank’s Annual Thanksgiving Campaign in partnership with the City’s Fire and Emergency Services team.

“Last year we well surpassed our goals and this year, I know we can do it again. I encourage all people to take part in the #OneBagChallenge and I want to thank everyone in advance for their willingness to participate and their compassionate generosity to help neighbours in need,” Mayor Crombie said.

Residents are asked to drop off non-perishable food donations at their local fire stations, grocery store or The Mississauga Food Bank. This year’s Food Drive Challenge aims to raise $100,000 and 200,000 pounds of food by October 14.

To get the ball rolling, Mayor Crombie took to social media today to release a ‘#OneBagChallenge’ video nominating 5 people to make a donation to The Mississauga Food Bank within 48 hours. Once the nominated person has either donated food or made a donation online, they are asked to post a picture or video on social media showing that they participated and then challenge five other people to do the same.

Mayor Crombie has donated her bag of food to The Mississauga Food Bank and challenged:

• Tim Beckett, Chief of Fire and Emergency Services
• Jennifer Evans, Chief of Police
• Charles Sousa, Minister of Finance and MPP Mississauga South
• Navdeep Bains, Canada’s Innovation Minister and MPP Mississauga-Malton
• Dave Wojcik, President and CEO of the Mississauga Board of Trade

Mayor Crombie’s #OneBagChallenge video can be viewed at https://youtu.be/2vufMiLtBXE.

Mississauga residents are encouraged to bring their food or fund donations to the free ‘Family Thanksgiving Celebration’ on Saturday, October 8 at Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services Headquarters at 15 Fairview Road West.

“As we go about our normal day to day activities, we sometime lose sight of those in need. The Mayor’s Thanksgiving Food Drive is an opportunity for everyone to remember those in need. Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services are proud to open our doors to receive food donations for the Mississauga Food Bank. Bring the family out for a visit and bring your donations with you.” – Chief Beckett

“Over 111,000 neighbours in Mississauga live in poverty. That’s 14.5% of the Mississauga population who desperately need our help to put food on their table this Thanksgiving and beyond,” explained Chris Hatch, Executive Director of The Mississauga Food Bank. “We are so grateful to Mayor Crombie for once again rallying our community together during this critical time. We are also hugely appreciative to Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services for partnering with us to make this campaign a success.”

The Mayor’s Food Drive Challenge is generously sponsored by Tim Hortons of Mississauga, Rabba Fine Foods, Mississauga Board of Trade, COBS Bread and Bell. For more information, please visit https://www.themississaugafoodbank.org/thanksgiving.

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