Sudbury's Edgar Burton Christmas Food Drive received a $100,000 donation this month, thanks to the combined efforts of employees with Vale and Wheaton Precious Metals.
The companies say it is the largest single monetary donation in the 30-year-old food drive’s history. Money and food raised by the annual drive supports Sudbury Food Bank.
The food drive ended Dec. 10, but financial donations can still be made at SudburyFoodBank.ca/EdgarBurton.
“Wheaton’s staff have volunteered with their local food banks in the past and have seen firsthand the positive impact that these organizations make in our communities,” said Randy Smallwood, Wheaton’s president and chief executive officer. “We are proud to join our partner Vale in supporting the Sudbury Food Bank with this important initiative to help the less fortunate this holiday season.”
The Sudbury Food Bank said it provides food to approximately 11,000 people every month (half of whom are children) through over 40 member agencies and outreach programs. Through the pandemic, the Sudbury Food Bank has also seen an increase in first-time users over the age of 65.
“We are so thankful for this generous donation from Vale and Wheaton Precious Metals to the Edgar Burton Christmas Food Drive,” said Mellaney Dahl, president of the Sudbury Food Bank. “It comes at a really important time during the pandemic and the growing number of clients that require the support of the Sudbury Food Bank.”
Edgar Burton, a Vale divisional shops employee for 36 years, started the annual food drive 34 years ago in his workplace when his daughters asked him if they could start collecting food for the less fortunate. Today, Vale donates the time of one full-time and one part-time United Steelworkers (USW) Local 6500 employee for approximately two months to organize the Edgar Burton Christmas Food Drive.
“USW Local 6500 is proud to uphold Edgar Burton’s vision of one more can than last year,” said USW Local 6500 president Nick Larochelle. “We would like to thank our members, Owen Marcotte and Jeff LaLonde from Vale’s Divisional Shops, and all the volunteers for their work on this year’s campaign. A big thank you also goes out to all the people that have taken the time to make a donation once again this year.”
Before his passing in 2010, Edgar launched the Kids Helping Kids campaign, which engages school children in the food drive and teaches them about the importance of giving back to their community. And despite the pandemic, students have continued to give generously to the Kids Helping Kids campaign this year.
The 2nd Battalion Irish Regiment of Canada is called in to help collect donations to the annual campaign.
— Sudbury.com
