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Essential community food drive underway in support of The Sharing Place

Driving away hunger with Jim Wilson Chevrolet Buick GMC
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The festive season isn’t complete without a feast of delicious food. But for more than 1,600 local individuals and families, a healthy meal is no more than a holiday wish.  

The management and staff of Jim Wilson Chevrolet Buick GMC are ready to change all that with their Annual Food Drive for Sharing Place Food Centre.

Donations of non-perishable food items are now being collected to benefit the families and individuals relying on The Sharing Place this season. This annual event draws support from dealership staff, customers, local business and Dealer Principal Jim Wilson. “Community members and local businesses can donate non-perishable food items up until Christmas,” explains Marketing Manager, Elysia Monahan. “In addition to these generous donations, our staff participates by making cash contributions towards the purchase of food for The Sharing Place. Jim Wilson matches the dollar amount raised by staff and then we take that money and go grocery shopping to top off the trucks.” 

All cash collected is used to purchase healthy items to fill the food bank shelves. 

Setting a new goal and introducing a special guest 

The Sharing Place reports a steady increase in the demand for services, due to increased costs of healthy food, housing and other life necessities. As the need increases, the target amount of the Jim Wilson Chevrolet Buick GMC Annual Food Drive grows right along with it. Monahan explains how this year’s goal is their most ambitious to date. “The first couple of years we filled the back of one pickup truck. Then last year, we were able to fill two trucks. So, this year, we’re hoping to fill three”. New to this year’s event will be a Santa Claus photo op on Friday, December 20 and Saturday, December 21. “Santa Claus is coming to our dealership to help with the food drive! It’s free photos for kids, pets and your whole family if you bring a donation for the food drive”.  

The Sharing Place Food Centre

The Sharing Place Food Bank Program provides fresh produce, meat and non-perishable grocery orders once a month to over 1,600 people in Orillia, Severn, Oro and Ramara. They also run a holiday hamper program, distributing over 400 holiday hampers to food-insecure households in our community.  On average, 750 pounds of food are distributed every day. “Every pound counts,” says Sharing Place Executive Director Chris Peacock. “But the team at Jim Wilson and the supportive community do an exceptional job of bringing in a vital supply of food. The more we receive, the more individuals and families we can support. The food that is donated over the holiday season is what we survive on over the winter and into the spring. If we do not receive significant support, we have trouble keeping up with the demand.”

How you can help

The Annual Food Drive is now underway and continues leading up to Christmas. Donors are encouraged to come into the dealership and place their items into the back of the truck. To Jim Wilson and the staff at Jim Wilson Chevrolet Buick GMC, it’s a great way for the community to see their donations make a real difference. “If you’re in the area and can bring something by, you can physically add it to the truck and watch it fill up. It’s really inspiring to see”.

For more information contact Jim Wilson Chevrolet Buick GMC at (705) 329-2000 or bring your donation to the showroom at 20 Mulcahy Court in Orillia.