Trucking industry volunteers rolled up their sleeves last week at the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto, transforming their logistics expertise into direct community action against child hunger. Over 100 participants from across Canada’s transportation sector packed an impressive 4,200 weekend food kits during the Trucks For Change event, providing essential nutrition for children who might otherwise go hungry when school meal programs aren’t available.
The gathering brought together familiar faces and newcomers alike from companies that normally compete on highways. Pete Dalmazzi, founder of Trucks For Change Network, told me the turnout exceeded expectations. “What you’re seeing today is the heart of our industry,” he said while volunteers bustled around us, filling boxes with carefully selected nutritious items. “These are people who move goods for a living, now using those same skills to ensure kids don’t go hungry.”
The statistics driving this effort are sobering. According to Food Banks Canada’s HungerCount 2023 report, nearly 490,000 children now rely on food banks monthly – a 35% increase since pre-pandemic levels. Neil Hetherington, CEO of Daily Bread Food Bank, explained that weekend hunger represents a particularly dangerous gap for vulnerable youngsters.
“School nutrition programs provide critical support Monday through Friday, but many children face empty cupboards on weekends,” Hetherington said. “These kits bridge that gap with protein, whole grains, and shelf-stable nutrition that kids can easily prepare themselves if needed.”
What struck me while observing the operation was the natural efficiency transportation professionals brought to the volunteer effort. Assembly lines formed organically, with participants instinctively optimizing workflows between stations. Linda’s Trucking owner Linda Young, a first-time volunteer, pointed out the connection. “We’re used to moving things from point A to B as efficiently as possible. Today, we’re just moving nutrition from this warehouse directly to kids who need it.”
The event attracted participation beyond just carrier companies. Insurance providers, technology firms, and industry suppliers joined forces in what Scott Tilley from Tandet Group described as “the most worthwhile team-building exercise we could imagine.” His company brought fifteen employees who normally work across different departments.
“Everyone went back to work the next day with sore feet but full hearts,” Tilley mentioned during a follow-up call. “We’re already planning our next volunteer shift.”
Beyond the immediate impact of the food kits, the gathering highlighted changing recruitment dynamics within trucking. Several participants noted that community involvement increasingly attracts younger workers to an industry struggling with labor shortages. Millennial dispatcher Kevin Rodriguez from TransPro Logistics told me community service opportunities factored significantly in his employment choice.
“When I interviewed with TransPro and heard about their community initiatives, it honestly tipped the scales for me,” Rodriguez said while sealing boxes. “I wanted a career with purpose beyond the paycheck.”
The packed food kits will be distributed through school partnerships across Greater Toronto, reaching children identified by educators as facing food insecurity. Each kit contains enough nutritious, child-friendly food items for six meals plus snacks – just enough to bridge the weekend gap until school programs resume.
According to Canada Without Poverty’s most recent analysis, one in five Canadian children lives in poverty, with food insecurity disproportionately affecting single-parent households. The economic pressures of the past two years have only worsened the situation, as inflation has driven both housing and grocery costs to historic highs.
Michelle Quintyn, who coordinates volunteer engagement for Daily Bread, emphasized that the transportation industry’s contribution extends beyond the day’s labor. “These companies also donate freight services year-round, moving food between warehouses and distribution points,” she explained. “It’s a natural partnership that leverages what they do best.”
The event concluded with volunteers loading the last pallets of completed weekend kits onto trucks bound for distribution centers. Despite tired backs and feet, the mood remained energetic as participants gathered for a group photo.
“Remember, we moved enough food today to feed 4,200 kids through a weekend,” Dalmazzi announced to applause. “That’s what happens when an industry comes together for something bigger than business.”
As I watched the trucks pull away from the loading dock, the connection between professional purpose and community impact became unmistakable. In a sector often focused on delivery metrics and efficiency, these volunteers demonstrated that sometimes the most important cargo isn’t on any official manifest.
For information on how to support similar initiatives or volunteer at upcoming events, contact Trucks For Change Network through their website.
