Volunteers aid Mississauga Food Bank
Volunteers braved the windy autumn weather as they stood out front of Loblaw’s and Metro grocery stores over the weekend to collect donations for the Mississauga Food Bank’s annual Thanksgiving drive.
Mississauga resident Tony Aloysius, ugg boots sale a volunteer with the Mississauga Food Bank for the past three years, was stationed outside of the Great Canadian Superstore on 3045 Mavis Rd.
“Compared to the response last year, it’s a bit slow,” said Aloysius, who works as a heating technician with the Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board.
Last year, the drive collected 141,288 pounds of food and raised $49,292 in cash donations.
Mississauga Food Bank Director of Procurement Dawn Pullar was handing out donation bags alongside Aloysius.
“As much as Mississauga is affluent and doing well, (the food bank) is now serving 64,000 clients a month,” said Pullar, who has worked for the organization for the past 24 years. “We’re not going anywhere we’re much needed in the community.”
Pullar said this is the fifth year the Mississauga Food Bank has been on hand at local grocery stores, handing out donation bags, collecting money and raising awareness of hunger.
A native of Sri Lanka, Aloysius is thankful for the opportunit ugg boots sale ies he’s enjoyed over the past 26 years in Canada, but was surprised to discover this country isn’t a land of milk and honey for all.
“It’s really hard that in a rich country like Canada we see that people have a difficult time getting food. It’s heartbreaking, and that made me get with a volunteer organization to see w ugg boots sale hat I can do to make a difference,” he said.
Aloysius inspired his niece, Stephani Ponniah, to join him in giving back.
“I brought my niece to pass onto the younger generations to teach them what volunteering is all about,” he said.
“I am very proud of my uncle for setting an example,” said Ponniah, a 15 year old student ugg boots sale at Philip Pocock Secondary School. “I have food to eat every day and when I think of the less fortunate, I think that we have more and should give to them since we are capable of doing so.”
The Thanksgiving drive runs until Oct. 17. Donations can be dropped off at the food bank in unit 36 at 2550 Goldenridge Rd., or at any firehall or grocery store.
