Food donations pour in for 'June 27th Miracle' food drive

A massive food drive swept across the entire Windsor-Essex County region Saturday as the "June 27th Miracle" took place. Volunteers collected goods and dropped them off at various spots. Larger organizations also brought large truckloads of food.

"I think we blew miracle out of the water a couple of hours ago," Valerie Critchley said as she worked offloading cargo trucks behind the WFCU centre.

"I mean, the response is incredible."

Volunteers had blanketed the region's streets with miracle signs in the days and weeks leading up to the event. There have been more than 30,000 visits to Windsor-Essex food banks since the lockdown caused by COVID-19 began, according to the event's organizers.

People were asked to leave non-perishable food items on their front steps to help keep local organizations stocked.

A battalion of 10,000 volunteers blanketed the streets today picking them off and processing them at various drop points around the city.

"We're actually having many sites contacting us saying we need more boxes, we need more crates, we need more pallets," organizer Mark Jones said. "It's a good problem to have." 

The event dubbed as a grass roots initiative was organized by a group of residents, community leaders and local businesses but the website read "the entire community will be part of making this miracle happen."

"You never know when you're going to need it and it's great to help others as well," Veronica Cardoso, who was out with her family collecting food in South Windsor zone, said.

Over 75 local food banks and organizations will benefit from the drive.

"We have an amazing giving community," said Linda Davidson, co-ordinator at the Unemployed Help Centre. "When we say that there's a need — it's filled."