Annual Sleighing Hunger Charity Concert Raises Largest Amount to Date
Everyone could feel the holiday spirit today at the Windsor Essex Food Bank Association where The S’Aints band, Caesars Windsor and St. Clair College, announced the grand total of proceeds raised by the 2018 Sleighing Hunger charity concert. With their biggest year yet, the Windsor Essex Foodbank Association and Chatham Outreach for Hunger will receive $66,075 to share amongst 16 foodbanks in the region.
For the fifth straight year, the fundraising concert has donated ticket sale proceeds to local charities now raising over $266,000 to help feed those in need since 2013. This year, due to the success of ticket sales, more families and individuals will be fed through the Windsor Essex Food Bank Association and Chatham Outreach for Hunger. The all ages Sleighing Hunger holiday show is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. at the Colosseum at Caesars Windsor.
“Chatham Outreach for Hunger wishes to thank everyone involved in Sleighing Hunger. We know that an event such as this requires a great deal of planning and I want everyone to know that your efforts are putting dinner on the table of many of our neighbours here in Chatham Kent who struggle daily to provide adequately for themselves. We can continue to meet the growing need because of your tremendous support. Outreach For Hunger wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.”
Brenda LeClair, Executive Director, Chatham Outreach for Hunger
This donation will allow the WEFBA to purchase ground beef in bulk, an item that is difficult to come by for those using food banks. With a donation of this size, approximately 30,150 pounds of ground beef can be purchased, providing 160,800 individuals with a 3 oz. serving of protein-filled meat they may not otherwise have access to.
June Muir, CEO of the Unemployed Help Centre and President of WEFBA, said, “Once again our partners with The S’Aints, Caesars Windsor and St. Clair College have outdone themselves in supporting the Windsor Essex Food Bank Association. We are able to reach so many families in need of food assistance because of the generosity of the community and from incredible donations like the one we’ve just received. This gift will help to ensure our 15 member food banks are able to feed the most vulnerable in our community for the holiday season and beyond.”
The WEFBA is a community-based not-for-profit organization comprised of 15 local food banks. Collectively, these food banks have the ability to reach thousands of individuals and families in Windsor and Essex County who need emergency food assistance. Thanks to the association, almost 128,000 have been served locally over the past year. Member food banks of the association include: Downtown Mission, Drouillard Place, Community Food Pantry Lakeshore, three Salvation Army locations, Unemployed Help Centre, The Welcome Centre, Windsor Homes Coalition and more.
COH is a not-for-profit charitable organization serving the Chatham-Kent region. Supported entirely through the generosity of the community, in 2017 they served over 3,800 households and 326 families, providing healthy food and nutritious meals for those in crisis.