Essex-Windsor EMS Assists with Distributing Food Donation

Volunteers with Essex-Windsor EMS using out-of-service ambulances have distributed thousands of pounds of donated beans, rice and lentils to food banks across Windsor and Essex County this week.

About 6,000 kilograms – more than 13,000 pounds – of foodstuffs were donated by GlobalMedic, a Toronto-area charity established in 1998 that aims to provide “the right aid to the right people at the right time.” As part of their Holiday Hustle giving program, they distribute foodstuffs in bulk and local EMS organizations, like Essex-Windsor EMS, help get the goods onto the shelves of local food banks.

Leamington-based Erie James Ltd. stepped up to transport the 500-gram bags of beans, rice and lentils from the Toronto area to Leamington, where the UHC Hub of Opportunities offered to store them at its Regional Food Hub. Volunteers from the County of Essex and local food banks, as well as Essex-Windsor EMS, helped to load and transport the boxed bags to food banks.

The donated food was distributed Thursday (Dec. 7) and today (Dec. 8) to the Leamington Goodfellows, the Leamington Salvation Army, Kingsville Pantry, Harrow Pantry, the Amherstburg Food and Fellowship Mission, Essex Area Food Bank, Essex Salvation Army, Puce Community Food Pantry, Ste. Anne’s Catholic Church in Tecumseh, St. Andrew’s Church in LaSalle, the Windsor Goodfellows and the UHC Hub of Opportunities, which supports various food programs.

“Essex-Windsor EMS is grateful to play a part in making sure this generous and timely donation gets to the people who need it,” Chief Justin Lammers said. “I am incredibly proud of our staff who are distributing this food donation and giving back to the community in many other ways, such as collecting donations for the annual Windsor Goodfellows campaign and fundraising for the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation.”