Catholic schools’ food drive to ‘Fill A School Bus’ for Burlington food bank

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the number of children Burlington’s Food4Kids Halton food bank feeds has gone up 26 per cent.

To help out, students and staff at the Halton Catholic District School Board are hosting the “Fill A School Bus” Food Drive in support of the food bank and those in need in Burlington, Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hills.

The food drive, which began Monday (May 6) and runs to May 24 is being done in partnership with the Halton OECTA Elementary and Secondary Associations, Halton Student Transportation Services, and local school bus operators.

The charity initiative will embrace the theme of this year’s Catholic Education week, “We are Called to Love.”

HDSCB schools and workplaces will be collecting non-perishable food items and then beginning May 27 local school bus drivers will deliver the food to the Food4Kids Halton warehouse.

Families and staff are encouraged to send non-perishable food items to their school or work location. Those in the broader HDSCB community who wish to help can drop off their donations at their local school or at the Catholic Education Centre, located at 802 Drury Lane in Burlington.

“Every contribution will go a long way in supporting this food drive,” said the HDSCB.

Items most needed at the food bank include:

• Soup (canned 248ml) chicken, noodle, vegetable, or tomato
• Chicken/turkey/salmon/ham/tuna (cans)
• Baked beans (in tomato sauce)
• Annie’s or Kraft Mac & Cheese (any type)
• Canned pasta like Chef Boyardee or Heinze spaghetti

Staff and their families, along with members of the community, are invited to a BBQ on Saturday, June 8 to celebrate the food drive and its success. All proceeds will also go toward supporting Food4Kids Halton.

The BBQ is being held at the Catholic Education Centre, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

More information and an online RSVP for the community BBQ will be shared in the coming weeks here.