SUDBURY, December 20, 2023 – This morning, the 2023 Edgar Burton Christmas Food Drive wrapped up its 36th campaign in support of the Sudbury Food Bank with the generous help of the local community and businesses.
This year’s campaign ran from November through December and is expected to provide the food bank with close to 100 tons of food through both food and monetary donations. Over$110,000 in monetary donations were collected, of which nearly half came from the Rainbow District School Board and over $10,000 came from Vale employees. In addition, Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. and Vale have each donated $50,000 in support of the Food Bank.
“The Edgar Burton Christmas Food Drive is a great opportunity for Vale to contribute to the Sudbury Food Bank,” said Gord Gilpin, Director of Vale Base Metals’ Ontario Operations. “We are proud to support this incredible campaign every year to help feed those in need."Edgar Burton, a Vale Divisional Shops employee for 36 years, started the annual food drive 36 years ago in his workplace. The campaign grew to include businesses and schools across Sudbury and is now one of the largest per capita food drives in Canada. Today, Vale donates the time of two full time United Steel Worker (USW) Local 6500 employees, Owen Marcotte and Garrett Lloyd, for approximately two months to organize the initiative.
"United Steelworkers Local 6500 members are proud to be a part of this campaign and follow the example of generosity set by our member, the late Edgar Burton,” said Nick Larochelle, President of United Steelworkers, Local 6500 and Honorary Co-Chair of the Campaign. “It makes the difference in the lives of so many.”
The Sudbury Food Bank and its 44 member agencies complete 17,000 requests for services each month.
Sudbury Food Bank executive director Dan Xilon said: "Sudbury Food Bank members, which include food banks, meal providers and specialty programs, all continue to see an increase in first-time users. Every month, the Sudbury Food Bank member agencies programs are being accessed approximately 17,000 times, demonstrating that the need has never been greater.”
“The huge rise in food-bank use makes this year especially important to collect,” said USW co-chair Owen Marcotte. Co-chair Rachel Meehan added: “As a first-time co-chair, I was blown away by the generosity displayed by our employees, partners and the community as a whole.”
As one of the largest food drives in Canada, the Edgar Burton Christmas Food Drive is a source of community pride that helps thousands of families and individuals in need.