Central Smith Creamery's Third 'Fill the Truck' Campaign Collected 8,000 Pounds of Food and $8,000 For Kawartha Food Share

The third year of Central Smith Creamery’s ‘Fill the Truck’ campaign brought roughly 8,000 pounds of food and $8,000 cash donations for Kawartha Food Share (KFS) on Friday.

Central Smith Creamery Staff with Ashlee Aitken (far right). Two delivery trucks were need to collect and haul all the donations to KFS. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The campaign had approximately 40 local businesses and organizations collect non-perishable goods and money from their respective communities since it was announced in late November. Goods and cash were collected from Nov. 27 to Dec. 14.

Central Smith had two delivery trucks collect the donated items on Friday and deliver them to Kawartha Food Share on the same day.

The list of drop-off locations for the ‘Fill the Truck’ campaign. Photo courtesy of Central Smith Creamery.

While the annual campaign is young, being in its third year, the participating businesses inquired about the campaign being run again before Central Smith had announced it according to Ian Scates, Central Smith president.

“They're already letting us know that they were keen and excited about contributing this year,” he said.

The excitement was a mutual feeling from Central Smith and its employees as well.

“It's the most fun day,” said Shannon Meagher, Central Smith inventory control coordinator. “We all really look forward to it. Everyone wants to participate.”

KFS typically sees an uptick in demand during the Christmas season and the extra donations help stretch that into the early months of the year says Ashlee Aitken, KFS general manager.

“Post-pandemic, we're feeding anywhere from 10,000 to 12,000 people a month, sometimes in the winter, that goes up to about 15,000,” she said. “We'll do what we can and hope to alleviate some pressures for some families.”

Aitken concluded that KFS is always looking for volunteers especially during the holiday season.

“We need about 100 volunteers doing various jobs,” she explained. “We're always looking for help so if anyone's ever interested, just give our warehouse a call and we'll find a position that fits you well.”

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'Porch Pirates For Good' Food Drive Plundering Peterborough For Kawartha Food Share

Kawartha Food Share (KFS) is plundering Peterborough again as they are doing their “Porch Pirates For Good” food drive to restock their empty shelves this Saturday.

Since the inception of the pandemic, our porch food drives have brought in over 120,000 pounds of food and over $12,000 in monetary donations. Each month, KFS serves more than 4,500 children under the age of 18. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Households are asked to leave a bag of non-perishable food items on their front porch for the Porch Pirates to collect starting at 9 a.m.

The number of clients using food banks has reached an all-time high throughout the nation, according to KFS. They continue to state that the rising cost of food and supply chain shortages have affected their clients, donors and purchasing power.

The following is a list of items requested for donation from KFS:

• Peanut Butter

• Canned tuna

• Canned fruit

• Individually wrapped school snacks – very helpful

• Pasta and pasta sauce

• Alpha-getti, Kraft Dinner and Chef Boyardee

• Breakfast cereal

• Gluten-free items – like pasta, cookies, oats etc.

• Canned vegetables

• Canned soup/stew

• Feminine hygiene products

• Diapers

• Toiletries

• Monetary Donations (can be made online or during item collection)

For every $1 donated, $3 worth of food can be purchased, according to KFS. Volunteers can collect cheques or cash during their pickups on October 28th.

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Forest Hill Real Estate Hosting Second Pumpkin Giveaway Food Drive For St. Vincent de Paul

Forest Hill Real Estate Inc. Brokerage is bringing back its ‘Annual Great Pumpkin Giveaway’ with a two-day event to collect non-perishable goods for St. Vincent de Paul this weekend.

Last year, Forest Hill gave away over 500 pumpkins and collected three bins of food items. File Photo.

The event runs from runs from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on both days. Saturday is at Highlands Park in Millbrook (where Station Drive meets Pristine Trail) while Sunday is at Jackson Creek Meadows (where Chandler Cresent meets Avery Avenue).

The real estate business requests one non-perishable food item in exchange for a pumpkin (one pumpkin per family while supplies last). The event also has contests, giveaways, prizes and more.

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Porch Pirates For Good 'Plundering' For Donations For Kawartha Food Share On May 27

‘Porch Pirates for Good’ is returning to scour Peterborough to restock the dwindling shelves at Kawartha Food Share (KFS) for May 27.

six Porch Pirate food drives have collected 177,340 pounds of food. Photo courtesy of KFS.

Residents can leave a bag of non-perishable food items on their front porch. Starting at 9 a.m., volunteers dressing in pirate attire will drive around the city, collect the items and deliver them to the KFS warehouse.

Money can also be donated on KFS’s website. Every dollar donated allows Kawartha Food Share to leverage more than four dollars of food purchasing power.

The food drive aids families who are unable to afford groceries due to employment-related reasons and the high cost of housing, health and food.

KFS is looking to receive the following donated items:

• Canned tuna

• Pasta and pasta sauce

• Alphaghetti, Kraft Dinner and Chef Boyardee

• Breakfast cereal

• Peanut Butter

• Any non-perishable fruit and vegetable items

• Rice

• Canned soup/stew

• Feminine hygiene products

• Baby formula

• Diapers

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Central Smith Creamery's Second "Fill the Truck" Campaign Donates 14,000 Pounds of Food and Over $10,000 for Kawartha Food Share

Year two of Central Smith Creamery’s “Fill the Truck” campaign built on its inaugural year, delivering roughly 14,500 pounds of food and $10,030 in cash donations for Kawartha Food Share (KFS) on Friday.

This year’s campaign nearly tripled last year’s food weight and raised more money than last year’s event. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The campaign rallied 38 businesses to collect cash and non-perishable goods as Central Smith drove their delivery trucks and collected the donated items on the same day they were delivered.

The campaign ran from Dec. 1 - 15 and beat the previous year’s goal of 5,000 pounds and $9363.50.

“Just given what's happened with the economy with food prices and all of that, I'm just amazed that we were able to be successful in our campaign,” said Jenn Scates, Central Smith Creamery co-owner. “With the work of my team and everybody contributing, it's not just one person, it's a whole bunch of elves that helped and it's just amazing.”

“It's been difficult for us to stretch our dollars as far as it once did but it's also difficult for our donors to continue to donate as much as they did in the past,” said Ashlee Aitken, KFS general manager. “We know times are tough, we know food costs are extremely high and so to see this many people donate this many items is so heartwarming this time of year and we really appreciate the support.”

The timing for the donations could not have been better for KFS as the demand for food banks goes up during the holiday season according to Aitken. She says Christmas is an added expense that not all families can afford.

“Heat and hydro bills are up, kids are home from school, there's a couple of extra meals they have set them up with there, there's just a lot of added expenses to families that are already struggling and already don't earn enough money for their families,” explained Aitken. “Every little donation goes a long way. Something like this where they're bringing in thousands of pounds of food for us, it really helps us stock the shelves at the food banks before we get into that busy crazy season.”

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Central Smith Creamery Running Second Annual "Fill The Truck" Food Drive For Kawartha Food Share

Central Smith Creamery is loading up for Kawartha Food Share as they are running their second annual ‘Fill the Truck’ campaign, collecting non-perishable goods for Kawartha Food Share from Dec. 1 - 15.

between 2017 and 2018, Around 14.5 per cent of Peterborough residents lived with food insecurity according to the Peterborough Food Action Network. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The campaign fills its trucks with donations instead of ice cream as they challenge community members, businesses schools and organizations to help them collect goods.

Anyone can drop off any non-perishable goods at any participating location in the Peterborough and surrounding area including Central Smith.

On Dec. 16, the Selwyn-based business collects the goods from each drop-off spot and delivers them to Kawartha Food Share.

The following is a list of participating businesses so far:

• Suzi Home Maker

• Sullivan’s General Store

• Holiday Inn

• Ferndale Bible Church

• Kingdon Timber Mart

• Kawartha Orthodontics

• Applewood Retirement Residence

• Dentistry on Sherbrook

• Peterborough KIA

• Kawartha Buttertart Factory

• McWilliams Moving & Storage Ltd.

• Hospice Peterborough

• Home Hardware Building Centre

• Scotiabank

• The Publican House

• Lakefield Herald

• Crestwood Secondary School

• Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber

• Style Boutique

Last year, the campaign collected over 5,000 lbs. of food and almost $10,000 in cash donations.

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PTBO Strong With Peterborough Petes To Hold "Hockey For Hampers" Food Drive This Saturday

Not-for-profit group PTBO Strong is teaming up with the Peterborough Petes to hold a ‘Hockey for Hampers Food Drive” in support of Kawartha Food Share (KFS) this Saturday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

Food hampers will be made up to help the beneficiaries of KFS.

Non-perishable items are being accepted either at Greg’s No Frills on 230 George St. N. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or at the Peterborough Memorial Centre during game night.

Petes mascot Roger and a few players to be announced will be in attendance for the morning at No Frills to help collect any donated goods during the early hours of pickup.

PTBOStrong was formed in 2019 due to the opioid and homelessness crisis facing the City of Peterborough. Photo courtesy of PTBO Strong.

Tim Burke, PTBO Strong co-founder says his group raises critical funds and awareness for treatment around opioid addictions but wants to help the root of the problems.

“Our town has a lot of rough stuff going on,” said Tim Burke, PTBO Strong co-founder. “We have 13 methadone clinics and we don’t have any detox centres, it’s craziness. They’re all lined up.”

The Peterborough Petes play the Ottawa 67s this Saturday as the final leg of three consecutive days of games.

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The Porch Pirates For Good Campaign is Back on Nov. 12

Kawartha Food Share’s (KFS) Porch Pirates For Good food drive is back, collecting non perishable donations from house porches in the community for Nov. 12.

Photo courtesy of Kawartha Food Share.

Leave a donation bag on your porch by 9 a.m. on Nov. 12 and the pirates will come by and collect it.

As flyers will not be distributed prior this year, KFS reminds you to mark your bag so it’s indentifiable to the porch pirates.

Any and all non perishable food items are appreciated, especially:

• Tuna

• Pasta sauce

• Mac and cheese

• Peanut butter

• Pasta noodles

• Individually packaged children’s school snacks (i.e. apple sauce, fruit cups, Chewy granola bars)

Donations can be made to Kawartha Food Share year round by dropping them off at the warehouse at 665 Neal Drive, Unit 1.

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Local Real Estate Holding Inaugural Pumpkin Giveaway In Food Drive For Local Food Banks

Forest Hill Real Estate Inc. Brokerage is getting in the Halloween spirit as they are hosting their first ‘Annual Great Pumpkin Giveaway’ at the corner of Chandler Crescent and Parkhill Road this Saturday.

File Photo.

The giveaway is from 1 p.m to 3 p.m.

The real estate business is requesting one non-perishable food item in exchange for a pumpkin (one pumpkin per family while supplies last). Complementary hot chocolate is being served at the event as well as free swag bags from The Ten Spot.

All food donations are being donated to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

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Third Annual 'Winter is Coming' Food Drive Launched to Aid Food Insecurity in Peterborough County

The third annual ‘Winter is Coming Food Drive’ has been launched by Kawartha Food Share (KFS) and Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith to aid in food insecurity for Peterborough County announced on Thursday.

Non-perishable goods and monetary donations are being collected on five separate dates in different locations to aid their respective townships.

“These food drives are always such a great way for community members living in the county,” said Ashlee Aitken, KFS general manager. “The rising cost of food has made this a very difficult year for KFS, our member agencies and of course, food insecure community members.”

Aitken says the food bank aided 7,000-8,000 people prior to the pandemic that began in March 2020. That number rose to 9,000 during the winter months. During the pandemic, demand would increase by 20 per cent to 12,000 people.

Smith is collecting at most of the listed dates and aided the campaign in its last two years. The grand total has raised almost $40,000 worth of cash and food donations in November 2020.

“I was a member of the Kinsmen Club and our motto was to 'serve the community's greatest needs' and I've always taken that to heart,” explained Smith. “I now have an opportunity where people recognize my name more than they did say 10 years ago with different groups. I have that opportunity to use my name and do good for my community.”

The following is a listed schedule of the ‘Winter is Coming’ campaign:

• Havelock Foodland collecting for Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Food Bank from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 1

• Lakefield Giant Tiger collecting for Lakefield Community Food Bank from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 20

• John’s Your Independent Grocer collecting for Bridgenorth Food Bank from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 28

• Buckhorn Foodland collecting for Rural Outreach from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 29

• Morello’s Independent Gorce collecting for North Kawartha Food Bank from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 5*

*A special drive to support the Apsley food bank, who has lost their community’s only grocery store in a fire late last year.

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