Not everyone is trick or treating for candy on Halloween.
Students, staff and parent volunteers from the Ursuline College community will fan out across the municipality on Oct. 31 to collect non-perishable food items for the annual Lancers Scare Hunger food drive in support of Chatham Outreach for Hunger.
“We have an outstanding team of students from our UCC Cares group leading this important social justice initiative, which is a demonstration of our Catholic values and our support for the community,” Lisa Harnarine, UCC principal, said in a media release.
Volunteers will cover 60 routes across Chatham from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Halloween night.
Catholic elementary schools in Blenheim, Ridgetown and Wallaceburg will also participate in support of local food banks in those communities.
Grade 12 student Maria Angus, who came to Canada from Jamaica when she was 15 years old, said she joined the UCC Cares group because she knows first-hand what poverty looks like.
“When I became a student at UCC and heard about the UCC Cares group, I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” she said. “We are working together to help make a difference in the lives of others in our community.”
The Lancers Scare Hunger event is the biggest food drive of the year for Chatham Outreach for Hunger.
“The UCC community always comes through for us,” said Coral Hoekstra of Chatham Outreach for Hunger. “We rely on this event every year to top up our supplies of non-perishable food items to help get us through the Christmas season.”
Residents who are not at home during the collection hours, but who wish to contribute, are welcome to drop off donations of food or money at the school.
