The holiday season arrives with its familiar call to action as Simcoe County paramedics don a different kind of uniform this November. For the 23rd consecutive year, these first responders are trading ambulance sirens for sleigh bells in their annual Food and Toy Drive, rallying communities across the county to support families in need.
Standing outside Barrie’s Georgian Mall collection site yesterday, Primary Care Paramedic Sarah Jennings reflected on the campaign’s evolution. “When we started in 2002, we filled maybe three ambulances with donations. Last year, the community’s generosity helped us assist over 4,800 families,” she told me as volunteers sorted incoming donations behind her.
The initiative comes at a critical time. According to the Simcoe County Food Security Network’s October report, local food bank usage has increased 32% since 2023, with nearly a third of clients being children under 12. These statistics give weight to this year’s campaign goal of collecting 28,000 pounds of non-perishable food items and 5,000 new, unwrapped toys before December 22.
County Warden George Cornell emphasized the program’s importance at Wednesday’s launch event. “Our paramedics see firsthand where needs exist in our communities. This initiative allows them to address those needs in a different but equally vital way,” Cornell said, noting that last year’s drive provided holiday meals for approximately 3,200 households across Simcoe County.
The drive’s success relies on its strategic deployment across the region. This weekend, off-duty paramedics will staff collection points at fifteen grocery stores from Collingwood to Bradford. Shoppers can donate items directly or purchase pre-packaged donation bags available at participating stores.
For Paramedic Operations Supervisor Mark Thompson, the annual campaign represents more than charity. “We’re often meeting people during their worst moments,” Thompson explained during our conversation at the Alliston collection depot. “This gives us a chance to connect with our communities in happier circumstances while addressing some of the social determinants of health we witness daily.”
The need spans beyond food. Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions reports that teenagers are often overlooked in toy drives. Responding to this gap, this year’s campaign specifically requests gift cards, sports equipment, and electronics for older youth. “A fifteen-year-old deserves to feel the same joy on Christmas morning as a five-year-old,” noted Thompson.
Community partnerships have strengthened the initiative’s reach. Local businesses including Rogers Communications, Georgian Chevrolet, and Simcoe County District School Board have established workplace collection points. The City of Barrie has designated all municipal buildings as drop-off locations, while Georgian College’s nursing students have volunteered to sort donations at the central warehouse.
Linda McCarthy, Executive Director of the Barrie Food Bank, highlighted how the paramedics’ effort complements their ongoing work. “The holiday season brings unique pressures for families already struggling. This drive ensures parents don’t have to choose between paying rent and providing a holiday experience for their children,” McCarthy said in our phone interview yesterday.
The campaign has adapted to changing community needs. New this year is a text-to-donate option allowing residents to contribute financially from home. According to Paramedic Services Chief Andrew Robert, these funds will purchase culturally appropriate food items for the county’s increasingly diverse population.
“We’ve learned that traditional Canadian holiday food items don’t meet everyone’s needs,” Robert explained during our tour of the Midland donation center. “Financial donations help us ensure families receive foods that reflect their cultural preferences and dietary requirements.”
Weather concerns prompted organizers to add indoor collection sites this year. The Tanger Outlets in Cookstown and Bradford’s Holland Marsh Mall will host weekend collection events, offering shoppers protection from early winter conditions while browsing for donation items.
Local mother Jennifer Parnell understands the drive’s impact firsthand. “Three years ago, after my husband’s workplace injury, we didn’t know how we’d manage Christmas for our three kids,” she shared while dropping off her own donation at the Orillia Square Mall collection site. “The gift cards we received meant I could buy exactly what my teenagers wanted. Now we give back every year.”
The drive also creates teaching moments for younger generations. Eastview Secondary School’s student council has organized a friendly competition between homerooms, with the top collecting class winning a pizza lunch sponsored by local businesses. “Students learn that community service isn’t abstract—it directly helps their classmates and neighbors,” said teacher-advisor Michael Sanderson.
As we approach December, the familiar sight of paramedics in their distinctive green “Caring Beyond the Call” t-shirts will become fixtures at community events throughout the county. Collection ambulances with flashing lights (but no sirens) will appear at hockey games, holiday parades, and shopping centers each weekend until the campaign concludes.
Those wishing to contribute can find collection locations and most-needed items on the County of Simcoe website or by calling the paramedic services community outreach line. The final collection event happens December 21st at the Barrie Colts game, where fans receive discounted admission with a donation.
“The beauty of this initiative is how it transforms paramedics from emergency responders into community builders,” Warden Cornell reflected as we concluded our conversation. “When an ambulance arrives filled with food instead of medical equipment, it represents our county’s commitment to taking care of each other.”
