Ontario Pork food and fund drive scores big for local food bank

The Guelph Storm were defeated 4-3 by the Kitchener Rangers, but the Food Bank of Waterloo region scored big on Feb. 13

The OHL game, which fell on Canada’s Agriculture Day, saw record levels of food and money donated to help restock the food bank shelves during the Ontario Pork-Rangers event.

“The Food Bank of Waterloo Region was the real winner,” said John de Bruyn, Ontario Pork chair. “With help from the community, we were able to do a great job collecting cash and food donations that will really go a long way to help those facing food insecurity.”

The event collected 1,071 pounds of food and $4,643.90, providing approximately 10,125 regional meals. 

“Seeing the food donation bins overflow, seeing people make financial donations – it really warms my heart,” said Kim Wilhelm, Food Bank of Waterloo Region CEO.

Wilhelm said food insecurity happens 365 days a year, and year-round events keep the more than 58,000 people in Waterloo Region struggling to put food on the table at the forefront of people’s minds. 

The Ontario Pork partnership was the second food and fund drive held at the Rangers’ Kitchener Auditorium this season. The first was in December, providing 8,567 meals in the community. The hockey team and Ontario Pork are hopeful the event will encourage others to participate in the food drive challenge.

“This is an initiative we would love to continue to do with Ontario Pork,” said Sawyer Hume, Kitchener Rangers ticketing and sponsorship coordinator. “If there are any other organizations that want to compete with Ontario Pork a little bit to see if they can get donations up near the same level, we would very much welcome that positive competition.”

Ontario Pork’s The Whole Hog cookbook was available for purchase, with proceeds going to support Feed Ontario.

“Our partnership with Ontario Pork really means the world to us,” Stephanie Ashton-Smith, Feed Ontario’s Director of Development & Partnerships, said, adding that the Ontario Pork partnership is critical.

“2023 was really the toughest year that food banks have faced; it’s almost at crisis levels, and we expect that to worsen in 2024,” said Ashton-Smith.

“So, any opportunity to have events like this to bring the community together and raise awareness of food insecurity is really crucial.”

Ontario Pork hopes the awareness and coverage of the event are as impactful as the donations in inspiring other communities to find new opportunities to help their neighbours.