The holiday season has arrived in Northern Ontario with its usual mix of sparkling snow and community spirit, and this year, Sudbury’s annual Christmas Food Drive has received an early gift of its own. The Lougheed Foundation announced yesterday a matching donation program that will double community contributions up to $50,000, potentially injecting $100,000 into local hunger relief efforts.
Walking through the Sudbury Food Bank warehouse on Webbwood Drive yesterday, I couldn’t help but notice the contrast between the already-stacked pallets of donations and the empty spaces still waiting to be filled. Edgar Labonte, who has coordinated the Christmas Food Drive for eight years, pointed to those gaps with both concern and optimism.
“We’re seeing about a 22 percent increase in need compared to last year,” Labonte explained as volunteers sorted incoming donations behind him. “But Sudburians always step up when their neighbours are struggling. This matching gift couldn’t have come at a better time.”
The timing is indeed critical. According to Statistics Canada figures released in September, food insecurity in Northern Ontario communities has reached 16.9 percent of households, nearly three percentage points higher than the provincial average. For Sudbury specifically, the Food Bank reports serving approximately 14,200 individuals monthly—a figure that has climbed steadily since 2021.
“What we’re seeing now isn’t just the traditional clientele,” said Melanie Lalonde, executive director of the Sudbury Food Bank. “We’re supporting more dual-income families who simply can’t stretch their paycheques far enough with food inflation running so high.”
The Lougheed Foundation’s involvement marks a shift in this year’s campaign. The foundation, established by the family behind several successful Sudbury businesses, typically focuses on healthcare initiatives but expanded its mandate this year to address what they called “immediate community nutrition needs.”
“When families have to choose between paying rent and buying food, something fundamental is broken in our system,” said Trevor Lougheed during the announcement. “While we advocate for policy changes, we cannot ignore the immediate hunger in our community.”
City councillor Deb McIntosh, who attended the launch, noted that food security has become a regular topic at council meetings. “We’re looking at everything from expanding community gardens to how our zoning can support food accessibility,” she told me after the formal program. “But those are long-term solutions. Right now, people need to eat.”
The Christmas Food Drive’s operational approach has evolved since its beginnings in 1987. Rather than relying solely on door-to-door food collection, the campaign now emphasizes financial donations that allow the Food Bank to leverage bulk purchasing power. Every dollar donated translates to approximately $3 worth of food through their supply partnerships.
Still, traditional collection methods remain important. This weekend, firefighters will conduct their annual “Stuff the Truck” event at four grocery stores across the city. Last year’s effort filled five trucks with nearly 12 tonnes of non-perishables.
At New Sudbury Centre, the campaign has set up its familiar collection point near the food court where shoppers can donate while completing their holiday shopping. Volunteer Jean Carrière, a retired miner who has helped with the drive for 12 years, shared that traffic had been steady but not overwhelming.
“It’s early days yet,” Carrière said with the patient wisdom of someone who has seen many campaigns. “People are just starting to think about Christmas. The real rush comes in the next two weeks.”
For many Sudburians, the food drive has become as much a part of the holiday season as decorating trees or hanging lights. Local schools compete in friendly collection competitions, and workplace donation drives often include matching components from employers. But this year’s economic pressures have created both greater need and potential constraints on giving.
“We understand some people who donated in previous years might need help themselves this time,” Labonte acknowledged. “That’s the reality we’re facing—the line between donor and recipient has become more fluid as costs rise.”
The campaign’s goal this year is ambitious: $250,000 in financial donations and 100,000 pounds of food by December 20th. With the Lougheed Foundation’s matching program running until December 15th, organizers hope to build momentum early.
As I left the warehouse, volunteers were unloading donations from yesterday’s kick-off event at Tom Davies Square. Among them was Janet Koivisto, who started volunteering after receiving food bank assistance herself three years ago.
“I remember what it felt like to need help,” Koivisto said, carrying a box of pasta. “Now I can give back. That’s what makes Sudbury special—we take care of each other.”
For a city built on mining and known for its resilience, the Christmas Food Drive represents something beyond seasonal charity. It’s become a reflection of the community’s enduring values: practical support, neighbourly concern, and the understanding that hardship can touch anyone.
With six weeks remaining in the campaign and the foundation’s matching dollars as extra incentive, the empty spaces in the warehouse may yet fill. For thousands of Sudburians, that could make all the difference between a holiday season of scarcity and one of sufficiency.
