Over 50 volunteers from Trucks for Change network gathered on May 15 to help assemble child-friendly food packs during Food Banks Canada’s annual After the Bell food packing event that took place on May 14-15 at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ont.

This year, Food Banks Canada is collecting 200,000 food packs — 25,000 more than in 2023 — to be packed and distributed to food banks across the country. This will help families in need when school-centered meal programs are not available.

Each child in the program will get eight packs (one per week) throughout the summer.

“Trucks for Change is always pleased to participate in events like this one, that benefit disadvantaged Canadians,” said Betsy Sharples, executive director of the Trucks for Change (T4C) network, in a news release. “After the Bell program is crucial for many children and their families. It is an honor to have the participation of industry partners who bring staff and expertise to make the day fun as well as productive.”

Fifty-two people from 13 T4C network companies helped assemble food packs containing shelf-stable items such as milk, hummus, crackers, cereal, oatmeal, and sunflower seeds. The organization has also provided certified lift truck operators from May 13 to May 15 to help stage incoming food donations and load outgoing palleted food packs into trailers.

T4C carriers deliver to food banks

As an official After the Bell partner, T4C also coordinates deliveries of pallets to food banks. 

Its network carriers, including C.A.T. Inc., Eassons Transportation, GX Transportation Solutions, JD Smith, Maritime-Ontario and Onfreight Logistics have already delivered larger orders from the event to seven food banks last week.

As of the end of May, at least 25 more carriers will help move smaller LTL shipments of the goods to 87 additional food banks across Eastern Canada, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories.

After the Bell T4C volunteers

According to T4C, in addition to lift truck operator services donated by JD Smith, volunteers from the following companies worked together to assemble food packs:

• Bison Transport
• Bridgestone Canada
• The Erb Group
• GX Transportation Solutions
• Kriska Transportation Group
• Load link Technologies
• National Truck League – A Westland Company
• Navistar Canada
• Northbridge Insurance
• Polaris Transportation
• Tandem Group
• Volvo Trucks Canada
• XTL Transport