Ottawa residents demonstrated their generosity by giving to the 40th Annual OC Transpo / Loblaw Holiday Food Drive held on Saturday, December 14. This is the largest annual, single-day grocery store food drive in Ottawa and has been supporting the Ottawa Food Bank since it began operating in 1984. The annual food drive raised almost 81,000 pounds of food and more than $25,500 for the Ottawa Food Bank and its network of 71 member agencies, and three other Ottawa region food banks. This year’s total is more than twice the weight of a 40 foot bus!
OC Transpo buses and volunteers were on site at several Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, Your Independent Grocer and No Frills locations in Ottawa to remind residents of the opportunity to donate. Residents donated food and made monetary donations at participating stores last Saturday. All the food items collected were delivered directly to the Ottawa Food Bank, Stittsville Food Bank, Barrhaven Food Cupboard, and the Kanata Food Cupboard.
Quotes
“The challenge to put food on the table has increased significantly for many residents over the last few years. It is heartwarming to see Team Ottawa and City of Ottawa staff step up once again to support their neighbours in times of such great need. Thank you to all the volunteers and donors, and to OC Transpo and our partners at Loblaw Companies Limited and the Ottawa Food Bank who work hard each year to make this event a huge success.”
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, City of Ottawa
“Visits to the Ottawa Food Bank are at their highest level in the organization’s 40-year history. OC Transpo and Loblaw have been there from the beginning, with their annual food drive. At a time of year when giving means so much, it’s great to see City of Ottawa staff and community members give their time to benefit others in the city.”
Councillor Glen Gower, Chair, Transit Commission
“The Loblaw family of stores are once again honoured and proud to be hosting the annual OC Transpo/Loblaw Food Drive, supporting the Ottawa Food Bank in its 40th anniversary edition. Our colleagues are excited to be part of this event every year. This year in particular, with food insecurity at an unprecedented level, it is really important to support our community in the most meaningful way possible, to help put food on the table for those in need. We want to thank our partners at OC Transpo, the Ottawa Food Bank and the colleagues in our stores for making this event so special. But most of all, this event can’t happen without the support of all the volunteers who give up their day with a smile on and our wonderful customers who, every year, step up and help their community.”
Jeff Brierley, Store Manager, Brierly’s Independent Grocer
“The Ottawa Food Bank is deeply grateful for the contributions made by our community through the OC Transpo / Loblaw Food Drive. Our longstanding partnership, supported by neighbours who donate food and funds, makes it possible for food programs across Ottawa to provide fresh and nutritious foods for people that cannot afford them. At a time of record-high food bank usage, it is vital to show up for our neighbours and this year's Food Drive exemplifies exactly that."
Rachael Wilson, CEO, Ottawa Food Bank
For more information about OC Transpo, including updates and trip planning assistance, visit octranspo.com, use the Travel Planner, or call 613-560-5000. You can also connect with OC Transpo on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram.
For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
Quick facts
Quick Facts:
- The OC Transpo / Loblaw Annual Holiday Food Drive is Ottawa's largest annual single-day grocery store food drive.
- Currently, one in four households in Ottawa struggle to afford enough to eat. That is a 15 per cent increase from 2022.
- Annually, more than 556,000 visits are made to food programs across Ottawa – nearly a 90 per cent increase since 2019, and the highest level in the Ottawa Food Bank’s 40-year history.
- To date, this food drive has raised over three million pounds of food and thousands of dollars for Ottawa's most vulnerable residents.
- The Ottawa Food Bank distributes nearly 9.8 million pounds of food; 50 per cent is fresh and includes items like fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy, bread and eggs.
- The Ottawa Food Bank works in partnership with a network of approximately 100 food programs that include community food banks, food cupboards, meal programs, multi-service programs, kids’ summer nutrition programs, and after–school snack programs.
- Thirty-seven per cent of food bank clients in Ottawa are children.
- The OC Transpo / Loblaw Annual Holiday Food Drive collects for four local food banks: the Ottawa Food Bank, the Stittsville Food Bank, the Richmond Food Bank and the Kanata Food Cupboard.
About Ottawa Food Bank
The Ottawa Food Bank is the main emergency food provider in the National Capital Region, which works in partnership with a network of approximately 100 community food programs to provide food and supplies for those in need. For more information regarding the Ottawa Food Bank and how you can help provide healthy, accessible, sustainable food for all, please visit https://www.ottawafoodbank.ca/.