'Fill a Fire Truck' food drive in Timmins looks to support food bank, recruit foster families

NEOFACS' communications coordinator Melanie Watson said the agency is short on foster families and the event also aimed to inform the community about the need and hopefully recruit some families. Aug.27/21 (Sergio Arangio/CTV News Northern Ontario)

TIMMINS -

The third annual "Fill a Fire Truck" food drive, in collaboration between the Timmins Fire Department and North Eastern Ontario Family and Children's Services (NEOFACS), sought help with a shortage of food donations by appealing to community generosity.

A friendly greeting, a barbecue and two fire trucks are what awaited people willing to donate— fire officials acknowledging that it's been a fiscally-tight time.

"With COVID, everything took a downfall with donations, so hopefully today we can get some more donations in and fill the food bank up," said firefighter Dan Knight.

NEOFACS' communications coordinator Melanie Watson said the agency is short on foster families as well, saying the event also aimed to inform the community about the need and hopefully recruit some families.

"Especially because we're trying to place children in culturally-appropriate families," Watson said.

She notes that the agency has been strictly adhering to public health measures, including in its foster homes, with the intention of making sure children are cared for in all respects.

Demand for food and foster homes is expected to grow as the new school year begins, Watson said, and so NEOFACS wants to make sure children and families have full bellies and safe homes.

"We're there to support families in whatever way they need."