Help St. Paul’s on the Hill Food Bank this Christmas

The Bicentennial Tree Lighting ceremony will take place at the Pickering Civic Complex on December 2 from 7:30-8:30 pm. This has been classified by the City as an official bicentennial event. The tree lighting is free but non-perishable food donations for St. Paul’s on the Hill Food Bank are welcomed.

In addition to the Christmas tree lighting, there will be holiday crafts, carnival rides, a BBQ, hot chocolate, live musical entertainment, fireworks and, of course, Santa Claus.

At this time of year, it is easy to concentrate solely on buying gifts and arranging your Christmas social schedule. However, we should also be thinking of those who have little or no money. They not only cannot afford to buy gifts for their children, they often cannot even afford to buy food. This is where the St. Paul’s on the Hill Food Bank becomes so important. The food bank has been serving the less-fortunate in Pickering and Ajax since 1990; 50 volunteers ensure the smooth running of the food bank which is open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 am-noon.

Events such as the tree lighting in which food donations are encouraged are important at this time of year. For those who don’t or cannot attend these public events, organizations often arrange for a flyer printing to be inserted into newspapers and local Pickering magazines. Often, they also include a brown paper bag for people to place their donations in. The types of food they most need include cereals, sugar, flour, rice, canned meat, fish and vegetables, tea bags and children’s lunch snacks.