Windsor Essex Food Bank Association (WEFBA) will be among the floats at the 2024 Canada Day Parade collecting can goods for local food banks.
This year’s parade will begin at 11 a.m. Monday at corner of Ouellette Avenue and Wyandotte Street then travel north to Riverside Drive and then travel west on Riverside Drive to Caron.
Mackenzie Adams, communications manager, UHC- Hub of Opportunities says she hopes those attending will bring along with them a canned good or monetary donation to help battle hunger in the community.
"We will be walking down the parade route pushing grocery carts and we're hoping that we can get those filled."
Adams says the demand for food has risen.
She says in 2023, the food bank saw an increase of 27 per cent of first time users.
"Typically in the summer time donations do drop, so we hope that we can get some great donations during this parade, because unfortunately hunger doesn't take a vacation."
She says while all donations are accepted, they are looking for kids snacks as well.
"Kids, they're going to be at home all summer so they're hungry right? So kids snacks, anything that's high protein. Peanut butter is always a good one, beans, lentils. Things like that."
The WEFBA represents 15-member food banks and UHC says donated goods from the parade will be distributed proportionally.
Anyone not attending the parade and is interested in donating can do so here: uhc.ca/donate/.