$24,820 and 13,244 kg of food donated to CBC Windsor's Sounds of the Season

CBC Windsor is collecting food and monetary donations for Sounds of the Season. Everything will go to the Unemployed Help Centre (UHC) food bank.

Sarah Kulyk, a former food bank user at the UHC, said it's a wonderful resource.

"Everybody here is so nice," said Kulyk, who became unemployed when her workplace shut down unexpected. She was a full-time student and it was hard to find a workplace that would accommodate for her schedule.

"I have great family, a great support system and everything else, but they go through layoffs and they go through hard times too."

By the end of Friday, CBC Windsor had collected 13,244 kg of food donations and $24,820. The food drive continues until Dec. 31.

CBC Windsor's Sounds of the Season live broadcast day kicked off with live music for Windsor Morning, held off-site at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts.

Donations poured in from St. Clair alumni, Essex-Windsor EMS, BMO Nesbitt Burns and the Windsor Essex County Canoe Club — among many others.

In the afternoon, community organizations brought vans full of food donations to the CBC newsroom on Riverside Drive. 

"We've got 4,000 employees at Windsor Regional Hospital," said spokesperson Steve Erwin as he unloaded a van of canned goods. "I think you'll probably get a can for each of them."

Erwin said the staff are "full of spirit" and even though many work 12-hour stints, they didn't hesitate to bring in donations.

"The community has been so good to our hospital and it's nice when we're able to give back."

Maciah Telfer and Nicole Crozier from Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare also pulled up with more than a dozen boxes of food collected by employees.

"We always look forward to when CBC is doing this so we can support our community," said Telfer. 

CBC Windsor host for the supper-hour newscast Arms Bumanlang stopped by the Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) assembly plant to receive a donation from Unifor Local 444 members — more than 7,200 kilograms of food items and $12,500.  

"This means a lot," said Jane Muir from UHC. "This is a huge donation. I think this is the most they've collected. What a great bunch of individuals."

Muir was on site at FCA to receive the donation on behalf of the 15 area food banks who will receive the canned goods collected during the campaign. Employees from both Caesars Windsor and FCA contributed. 

Muir said FCA "steps up to the plate" every year.

"Even though the unemployment rate is down, we want people to know the story: people really do come to our doors, so know that your donations go a long way," said Muir.

Even though Kulyk hopes no one else would ever have to use the food bank, she said these are some difficult times.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Everybody needs some help every now and then, you just have to be willing to want to help yourself do it."