Vale and USW 6500 Kick Off Sudbury Food Drive

SUDBURY, November 21, 2021 – The 35^th annual Edgar Burton Christmas Food Drive began today at Vale’s Sudbury Operations with an open invitation to the community to contribute to this important campaign in support of the Sudbury Food Bank.

“The Edgar Burton Christmas Food Drive is a special tradition at Vale,” said Gord Gilpin, Head of Vale’s Ontario Operations and Honorary Co-Chair of the campaign. “We encourage other local businesses, schools, organizations and the public to participate by donating food or funds to those in need.”

This joint initiative between Vale and the United Steelworkers, Local 6500 began 35 years ago when Edgar Burton, a Vale employee and member of the United Steelworkers Local 6500, started the annual food drive in the workplace. Since then, the campaign has grown to include hundreds of businesses, organizations and schools which have collected over 1,000 tons of food for the Sudbury Food Bank since it first began.

“United Steelworkers Local 6500 members are proud to be a part of this campaign and follow the example of generosity set by our member, the late Edgar Burton,” said Nick Larochelle, President of United Steelworkers, Local 6500 and Honorary Co-Chair of the Campaign. “It makes the difference in the lives of so many.”

The Edgar Burton Christmas Food Drive runs from November 21^st – December 9th^th. Reserve troops from the Canadian Armed Forces 2^nd Battalion Irish Regiment will be picking up donations from businesses and organizations displaying collection boxes December 12^th-14^th. Donations help to feed approximately 8,000 clients that access the Sudbury Food Bank every month.

“It’s everyone working together that makes the Edgar Burton Christmas Food Drive so successful each year,” said Mellaney Dahl, President of the Sudbury Food Bank. “No one can feed everyone, but everyone can feed someone.”

For more information about the Edgar Burton Christmas Food Drive and how to participate, please visit www.sudburyfoodbank.ca/edgarburton or contact 705-682-8200 / ebcfooddrive@gmail.com. You can also follow the campaign on social media with #onemorecan.