An annual fundraising campaign in London, Ont., that allows folks to convert their generosity into a free meal for those in need with the click of a button has hit the ground running.
United Way Elgin Middlesex, along with a number of local partner agencies, were out and about this week as it launched its Harvest Lunch.
The campaign works by allowing Londoners to purchase a virtual ticket to the Harvest Lunch.
For the price of $10, this ticket is then converted to a free meal for local youth, seniors and families through a United Way partner agency.
The pay-it-forward concept is fairly new for the campaign, introduced last year as a result of limitations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, Harvest Lunch would be held as an in-person event at Budweiser Gardens.
“We didn’t quite know how it would work out last year … in the end, it turned out that we sold over 3,500 tickets, which was our best ticket sales ever,” said United Way CEO and President Kelly Ziegner.
“We were hopeful that this year we would be out of pandemic mode, but as we all know we’re not. But we’re still seeing the same kinds of trends where people are looking for ways to support their local communities because they know it’s been a really tough and long haul for people.”
This year’s weeklong campaign launch saw organizers deliver donation-bought meals throughout the London region, including a stop at the Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre (CNRC) with the Bifana Boys food truck on Thursday.
“When I was talking to (CNRC’s) executive director they said this is really such a wonderful opportunity for their clients who don’t get a choice,” Ziegner said.
“What should we have for dinner tonight? Where should we go? For folks who are living in poverty or with low-income, that choice is non-existent often.”
The last stop of the week was at Roy’s Family Restaurant in Strathroy, which included a helping hand from the city’s Women’s Rural Resource Centre, Youth Opportunities Unlimited’s Next Wave Youth Centre.
While the campaign launch officially wraps at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, folks can still pay it forward until Oct. 1.
Tickets to the Harvest Lunch can be purchased on the campaign’s website.
Organizers had hoped to sell at least 2,000 tickets this year, but by Friday afternoon, more than 3,200 meals had already been delivered.
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