Community members are finding new ways to help those in need as the demand for food, clothing and basic necessities rise due to the pandemic.
On Sunday at 3 p.m at St. George’s Square, local groups ASNOW Action Committee and A.D.A.M. (All Drug Addicts Matter) are giving out free winter boots, socks, jackets, Tim Hortons cards and free sandwiches to anyone in need.
“We’re just trying to do our part,” said Donny Hay, founder of the ASNOW Action Committee.
Hay said those battling drug addictions are going through an especially difficult time during the pandemic.
“I have a lot of personal relationships with them. I just want to help them. I just want them to have something. Just a little hope that they are not forgotten,” said Hay.
“I’m a recovering addict and I understand how rough life can be. Some of these people have families but because of their drug addiction, they don’t have that connection and I think it’s really really important that community members reach out.”
Hay said the groups chose the afternoon because there are no free dinners on Sunday in Guelph.
“I’m just trying to help the people that I’m speaking for,” said Hay. Anyone willing to donate food or clothing items for the drive on Sunday can contact Hay at [email protected].
On Monday, Clayson Wealth Management of RBC Dominion Securities and Lakeside HOPE House partnered up to kick-off ‘It's Boot Season!’ a food drive where participants are encouraged to fill the back of their trunks with food and food, hygiene and baby products.
“It’s boot season, we wear boots in the winter. I want you to fill your boot which is the back of your trunk,” said Betsy Scott, marketing assistance at Clayson Wealth Management, one of the organizers of the drive.
The drive is running until Dec. 7 and has a different focus each week with week one focusing on items for the Affordable Holiday Gift Market at HOPE House, week two focusing on culturally diverse and diet-friendly foods, week 3 focusing on baby items and week four focusing on hygiene items.
“You don’t have to just focus on those items that week. I just themed it to bring attention to those items,” said Scott.
Scott said her and Ed Clayson of Clayson Wealth Management held two food drives since the beginning of the pandemic where they delivered letters in the neighbourhood and collected items from neighbours on their driveway to drop off to food banks.
“We found that it was helpful and neighbourhoods really came together and dropped everything off,” said Scott.
After reaching out to HOPE House, Scott said she learned that more people were accessing the centre for their basic needs since the pandemic.
“It was just neighbourhoods before and now I wanted to go to the Guelph community and so I thought people can just do it on their own and they can just collect donations on their own and fill the backs of their car and they can just drive their donations in,” said Scott.
Scott said her team is also holding a draw at the end of every week where participants can win prizes donated by local businesses if they post a picture of themselves with an empty trunk and a trunk full of items to donate on Facebook.
