OCDSB Schools Contribute to Massive Summer Food Drive Success
The power of community, compassion and student leadership once again shone brightly across the OCDSB. Our schools, in collaboration with Khalsa Aid Canada, the Ottawa Food Bank and the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation, wrapped up the second annual Ottawa Summer Food Drive with an uplifting celebration at General Vanier Public School on June 14th.
The result? A collective 90,000 pounds of food delivered to support our communities!
This monumental effort, which included 16 participating OCDSB schools, saw students collect approximately 11,000 pounds of food through in-school initiatives. Khalsa Aid Canada, in collaboration with Italfoods, local businesses and community groups, matched this donation with an additional 79,000 pounds of non-perishable food items from these partners.
Our schools embraced the challenge with creativity and compassion. Castlefrank Elementary School, for instance, kicked off their participation during their Castlefrank Creates arts festival. Daily prompts – like “R” for raisins and ramen – mobilized students and families to donate an impressive 685 pounds of food and personal care products.
Meanwhile, Dunning-Foubert Elementary School integrated the food drive into their multi-year food security learning initiative. As students designed posters and rallied for donations, one student reflected, “We've done a food security project for the last two years where we have outdoor gardens that the community is able to make use of the food that we grow. The food drive feels like another way we're helping out.”
The spirit of collaboration was evident at the General Vanier Public School’s Food Drive Reveal Celebration event, where the food drive’s grand total was unveiled. Nearly 250 OCDSB students and staff, partners, elected officials and community members attended. Community leaders spoke about the current food insecurity crisis and the importance of coming together to support the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation and the Ottawa Food Bank.
Since its launch in 2023, the Ottawa Summer Food Drive has now donated a total of 340,000 pounds of food to the community, providing vital support during the summer months, when many children no longer have access to school-based breakfast and lunch programs.
“Our schools are more than just places of learning; they are hubs of community and compassion,” says Juliet Robinson, System Principal of Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Oppression. “The incredible success of the Ottawa Summer Food Drive is a powerful testament to what our students can achieve when they are empowered to make a difference. Witnessing their leadership and dedication to addressing food insecurity, especially during the critical summer months, is truly inspiring. This initiative highlights the profound impact we can have when students, staff, families and community partners work together.”
The OCDSB extends its deepest gratitude to every student, family and staff member who contributed to this outstanding achievement. Our immense thanks also go to our partners: Khalsa Aid Canada, the Ottawa Food Bank, the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation and Italfoods.
