Just a few weeks ago, at St. Joseph’s, we held our annual school-wide Stuff The Studio food drive that involved every single student with a grade-wide competition. The competition was intense, with certain teachers overseeing specific grades, which only added to the excitement. We kicked off the challenge with great momentum, and our final result was something we were very proud of. Students went door to door, stationed tables in front of Grocery Stores to collect non- perishables or monetary donations and went around to local businesses for donations as well.
Some students got the opportunity to help bring all the food to St. Vincent De Paul, and I decided to go with my friends. When we reached the foodbank, we were welcomed by the volunteers and then were guided on where each item belonged, organized neatly into rows. It was incredible to see the amount of volunteers who were there guiding the students.
At St. Vincent, I met Sue MacDonald, who is a volunteer at the Food Bank. She brought to my attention the changes she’s seen in the community’s needs recently; last year, St. Vincent assisted over 9,000 people, which is a lot, but this year, they’ve served over 12,000 people, and that’s not counting the month of December. The need in our community is dire, and many people are going hungry. Upon asking about the impact the food drive would make, she mentioned that the food collected would carry them through till the summer, and that the cash contributions would make an especially significant difference.
Many other volunteers sounded very passionate as well, Brenda explained how during the two hours they stay open twice a week, they used to serve approximately 33 to 40 people, but now it’s closer to 70-75 people coming in. Dan and Karen were interviewed next, where they stated that they get around 140 families coming in on a weekly basis. They expressed the challenges they’ve been facing regarding refrigeration; there aren’t enough cooling units available to keep items cold enough to survive. A bigger freezing unit will help store any dairy items and frozen meats.
It got a bit emotional as we were talking about the needs of the community, people are starving right here in our city, and their most basic necessity isn’t being met due to many reasons. Better employment; there is a shortage of jobs, and even when people do have jobs, the cost of living is so high that minimum wage is just not enough. In addition, major food companies are acquiring smaller ones, which is causing a monopoly over food prices.
With these issues kept in mind, the food drive was made possible through collective efforts from all the students as well as the teachers who led the initiative. Mr. Zappitelli expressed the challenges he’s faced running the food drive for the last few years. His understanding of other people and their financial situations is simple: if he is able to help them, then he absolutely will. “It is evident when you run a drive like this, and you see the support from all these future adults, all these young teenagers, that our world is in good hands. Our next generation, we’re going to be good,” said Mr. Zapp. His words highlighted the importance of compassion and reminded us that the efforts of young people can truly make a difference.
The school-wide goal was 10,000 items and the amount of food donated exceeded that amount by a significant margin. The grand total of the year 2025-2026 food drive was (drum roll)…14,000 items and $8000! Every single student who pitched into this, every single teacher, every single business, deserves a huge thank you for their contributions.
Food is an essential part of our daily lives and is needed to ensure our overall wellness. The nourishment we obtain from fruits and vegetables keeps us healthy and functioning properly. I would’ve said it was a crazy thought to think that hunger could be an issue in a First- world country such as Canada, but seeing the exponential growth in need in our community has made it seem otherwise. Despite this fact, it is also true that the support that the citizens of Cornwall have shown is incredible. Truly, we can achieve anything if we work together as a community, and of this fact, I am beyond proud.
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