Fill the Ambulance Food Drive has increased importance this season

With the cancellation of the Santa Parade this year, The Partners in Mission Food Bank say the Fill the Ambulance Food Drive is of extra importance this year.

Frontenac Paramedic Lise-Anne Lepage-McBain will be hosting the event again this year with her Frontenac Paramedics volunteer team, according to a statement from County of Frontenac. They will be collecting non-perishable food items and monetary donations to benefit the clients of Partners in Mission Food Bank.

“I’ve been organizing this fundraiser for the last nine years,” said LiseAnne Lepage-McBain, Frontenac Paramedic and event organizer. “The motivation behind it came from meeting members of our community from all socioeconomic groups while working as a paramedic. Witnessing food insecurity on a regular basis, among people of all ages, moved me to get involved. Filling the back of an  ambulance with food seemed like a reachable goal. Every year since, the community has packed it full.”

“I’m so proud to see how generous and caring Kingstonians are,” LiseAnne continued. “When COVID-19 hit I was afraid of what that would look like for the families who use food bank services. We struggled with the idea of not doing it this year because of restrictions, but it became obvious to me that the benefits outweigh the risks. That being said we are doing this a little differently this year. Following KFLA public health regulations, social distancing and sanitizing.”

LiseAnne shared her thanks for the support each year. “I’d like to thank FreshCo for hosting every year, Frontenac Paramedics for always providing an ambulance to fill, all the volunteers who come out to help and especially all the members of our community who take the time to donate in any way they can,” she said.

Stop by FreshCo. Kingston at 2327 Princess Street on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020 to make a non-perishable or monetary donation and help fill the Frontenac Paramedic ambulance in support of the Partners in Mission Food Bank. Donations will be accepted from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

“Fill the Ambulance by the Frontenac Paramedics food drive has always been very successful and much appreciated,” says Dan Irwin, Executive Director, Partners in Mission Food Bank. “Our December food drives help stock us up for the winter. This year with COVID causing some events like the Santa Claus Parade to be cancelled, we are not certain how much we will get, it is great to have this event still running.”

“We are anticipating 2021 to have many challenges and are expecting higher need in our community,” Irwin continued. “Kingstonians have always stepped up and supported us. Should anyone require a food hamper, please call us at 613-544-4100.”

The Partners in Mission Food Bank nourishes local families by providing groceries through their food hamper program. Being the food distribution centre for this area, they also donate surplus provisions to 16 local hot meal and shelter programs in the Kingston area, according to their website.