OCDSB Teams Up with Community Partners on Record-Setting Donation to the Ottawa Food Bank
The OCDSB joined forces with Khalsa Aid Canada, the Ottawa Food Bank, and Italfoods to help deliver the largest one-day donation in the food bank’s 40-year history – providing 210,000 pounds of food to support families and children during the summer.
In early June, students and staff at six OCDSB schools participated in the 2024 Summer Food Drive, collecting a variety of non-perishable food items while engaging in learning about food insecurity. Avalon Public School, Henry Munro Middle School, Kanata Highlands Public School, Kars on the Rideau Public School, Rockcliffe Park Public School and Summerside Public School participated in the initiative, generating 7,500 pounds of donated food.
Khalsa Aid Canada generously matched the food donations, bringing the District’s donation to 15,000. Khalsa Aid Canada's financial investment and the monetary donations of leading local businesses were sent to the grocery supplier Italfoods, who generated an additional 193,000 pounds.
"Students learned about the food shortage crisis and worked together to help children and families facing food insecurity. The Social Justice club were the leads and organized the packaging and deliveries of the food each day. It was so great to see the whole school coming together to raise awareness and support this important cause." – Seema Guram, Henry Munro Middle School Principal
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On June 17th, a fleet of trucks and tractor-trailers brought the donations to the Ottawa Food Bank’s warehouse. Volunteers and students joined in to help unload the trucks and bring the food inside. They were joined by representatives from the District, our partner organizations, and the community.
This record-setting donation will provide approximately 420,000 meals for children across Ottawa, many of whom face increased food insecurity during the summer, when critical in-school meal programs and after-school snack programs are not running.
“Too many families in our community struggle with food costs and being able to afford healthy, nutritious meals. For our school, participating in this food drive was not only an opportunity to help, it provided students with an excellent learning experience. We are incredibly proud of how students, parents/caregivers and staff rallied to support this important cause.” – Jennifer Anderson, Avalon Public School Principal
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The donation will support more than 100 food programs across the city that are supplied by the Ottawa Food Bank. The food bank also plans to distribute some of the donations to the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation.
“We live in a country where there is enough food to feed everyone yet there are families that struggle daily to put food on the table. Food insecurity is a deeply concerning trend that we all need to pay attention to and work together towards a coordinated transformative solution. No child should go hungry. This is a call for action. I am very proud of our OCDSB students, staff and families and the community partners who have responded by both raising awareness and increasing donations to the food bank. It takes a village!” – Juliet Robinson, System Principal, OCDSB
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Thank you to all of the families, students, and staff who contributed to the food drive, and to Khalsa Aid Canada, the Ottawa Food Bank, and Italfoods for your partnership in making this incredible initiative a reality!
