Commentary

Monthly Message: Coldest Night of the Year fuels momentum for upcoming fundraisers

March 5, 2026   ·   0 Comments

If there’s one thing I can say with absolute certainty, it’s this: there is never a dull moment at the Orangeville Food Bank or Dufferin Food Share – Grand Valley.

As I write this, we’re still riding the momentum of our biggest fundraiser of the year, Coldest Night of the Year, which took place on Feb. 28, 2026. It was a powerful, heart-filled evening that reminded me, once again, what this community is capable of when we come together.

We are closing in on our $200,000 goal, and donations are still being counted. If you participated as a walker or fundraiser, please keep going – your efforts matter more than you know. And if you’ve been meaning to donate but haven’t yet, there’s still time. Contributions can be submitted until March 31.

A huge thank you to every single person who contributed to the event’s success.

And the momentum doesn’t stop there.

Local businesses continue to show up in incredible ways. Cobs Bread at 489 Broadway is currently running a month-long fundraiser in support of our work. Customers can add a donation to their purchase throughout the campaign, which wraps up on March 7 with their much-anticipated “Doughnation Day.”

On that day, $2 from every six-pack of Hot Cross Buns sold will be donated. It’s such a simple, joyful way to make a difference — and yes, it’s also a great excuse to enjoy something delicious. While you’re there, make sure you enter their draw to win free bread for a year!

Walmart Orangeville is once again partnering with Food Banks Canada for the annual Fight Hunger Spark Change campaign. From Feb. 20 to March 19, customers can round up their in-store purchases to the nearest dollar, donating the difference directly to support food insecurity programs. There will also be a donation bin at the front of the store for non-perishable food items.

Looking ahead, March 28 will mark our Springalicious Food Drive across Orangeville. Our volunteers will be stationed at Metro, Sobeys, Zehrs, No Frills, and FreshCo, handing out bookmarks that highlight our most-needed items and connecting with shoppers at the entrance. These food drives are about more than collecting cans and cereal-they are about conversations, awareness, and community care. Every time someone adds an extra item to their cart for a neighbour they may never meet, it restores my faith in humanity.

April brings the promise of warmer days. We’ll be diving into our biannual monthly giving campaign, one of the most important pillars of our organization. Monthly donors provide steady, predictable funding that allows us to plan not just for today’s needs, but for tomorrow’s challenges. Food insecurity doesn’t take a month off, and neither do we. Reliable support means we can respond quickly, stock thoughtfully, and serve with dignity all year long.

In May, we are proud to launch our second annual “Leave a Legacy Month.” Legacy giving is about more than finances- it’s about values. It’s about families having conversations around kitchen tables about the kind of community they want to leave behind. Through estate planning and intentional generosity, individuals can ensure their compassion continues long after they are gone. A legacy gift is a powerful statement: that access to food, dignity, and hope should be protected for generations to come.

Our Grand Valley community has some exciting dates ahead as well. The annual Duck Race Day will take place on May 23, and tickets will be available at the Lion’s Club Home Show the weekend of March 28. It’s always a joyful, family-friendly event that brings the whole town together.

We are also thrilled to share that our second community fresh-produce vending machine has been installed at the new HART Hub. Like our first machine at the lower level of the Mill Street Public Library, this initiative ensures that fresh food is accessible to everyone in the community. Located centrally at the HART Hub, the machine will be accessible daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and stocked Monday through Friday. Removing barriers to access-whether they are financial, transportation-related, or stigma-based- is at the heart of what we do.

On June 15, the Compass Run for Food will kick off for its 11th year. Organized by Compass Community Church, this event supports local food insecurity programs across Dufferin County. Volunteers from both Dufferin Food Share locations — Orangeville and Grand Valley — will be there to help fill the hunger gap after the race. Over the past decade, more than $597,000 has been invested back into our community through this initiative, and this year’s goal is to raise $80,000.

Grand Valley will also host its second Purolator Red Bag Food Drive over two weekends in June. Red bags will be delivered to households on Saturday, giving families a week to fill them before Purolator returns to collect the donations the following weekend. It’s another example of how businesses and residents work hand in hand to care for their neighbours.

The need in our community continues to grow -but so does the generosity.

To stay up to date on events, campaigns, and volunteer opportunities, please visit our websites or follow us on social media. If you have questions, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me, Carrie-Anne DeCaprio, at 226-558-2109 or by email at carrie-anne.decaprio@orangevillefoodbank.org.

Together, we are building something strong, compassionate, and sustainable — and I am so grateful to be doing this work alongside you.

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