The Compassion Society’s cupboards are nearly bare, and St. Matthew-on-the-Plains Anglican Church has put out a call for specific donations for their weekly food drive to fill that pantry back up.

There is currently an urgent need for canned meats, fish, vegetables, baked beans, and chili, as well as cooking oil, instant noodles, instant coffee, pasta sauce, peanut butter, jam, oatmeal, juice boxes, and fruit cups and pudding. All donations to St. Matthew’s regular Wednesday drive-through food drive will go to the Compassion Society this week.

St. Matthew’s first organized this drive-through food drive at the beginning of the pandemic, and it has continued over the last few years. Back in 2021, they were honoured at the Burlington Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Awards with the Mayor’s Community Service Not-for-Profit Award for their work that had by that time amassed 11 tons of food for the Burlington Food Bank and Compassion Society.

The drive-through and drop-off method began as a COVID-safe way of collecting donations, but it has proved popular as a quick and easy way to help others in the community, and so it has continued in the same manner.

To drop off your donations, drive through St. Matthew’s circular driveway at 126 Plains Rd. E. on Wednesday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. To donate directly to the Compassion Society, go to their location at 1881 Fairview St. on Mondays and Fridays between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. or Wednesdays between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.