Photo credit: Toronto Today
Toronto mayoral candidates Olivia Chow and Brad Bradford joined Ontarion Premier Doug Ford Saturday, as hundres of volunteers gathered at the Daily Bread Food Bank’s annual Thanksgiving food sort.
CTV News reports that the organizers said the event brought more than 200 volunteers to sort and pack food donations for local residents in need over the holiday weekend.
Chow, Bradford, Ford and other elected officials joined volunteers for the first shift at 9 am as the event is scheduled to run till 4 pm.
In a news release, Daily Bread says its network recorded more than 2.5 million client visits between January and August 2026, nearly four times the 664,876 visits recorded during the same period in 2020.
According to the organization, about one in 10 Torontonians now regularly rely on a food bank as they continue to battle “record demand for food assistance.”
“The holidays can be some of the most difficult times of the year for families struggling to put food on the table,” Daily Bread CEO Neil Hetherington said.
Daily Bread has set a $5 million fundraising target for its Thanksgiving drive this year, touting the target as its “most ambitious” goal yet.
The organization says it has raised roughly $2.5 million so far and is aiming to collect 185,000 pounds of food.
Hetherington thanked the volunteers, donors and supporters helping the organization respond to growing need.
“We are deeply thankful to every volunteer, donor and supporter who is helping us meet this unprecedented demand and bring some hope to families this holiday season,” he said.
Residents can donate financially through Daily Bread’s website or drop off non-perishable food at grocery stores and fire halls across Toronto. The organization says high-protein foods such as nut butters and canned fish, along with canned fruits, canned vegetables and oatmeal, are among its most-needed items.
