The 13th annual Pack the Back toy, food and clothes drive kicked off this morning at the Walmart on Stavanger Drive in St. John’s and Merchant Drive in Mount Pearl.
The initiative from NL Health Services’ Paramedicine and Medical Transport Teams in the Eastern Zones aims to pack the back of ambulances with toys, food, and clothing to help families in need this holiday season.
Gifts will be donated to the Single Parent Association of Newfoundland and Labrador for distribution throughout the region.
The drive continues today until 5pm, with another day to donate taking place on Saturday December 2nd at Kelsey Drive Walmart in St. John’s and Columbus Drive Walmart in Carbonear from 9am to 5pm. Further Pack the Back events will take place across NL with dates and locations to be announced.
Elsewhere, from 9 am to 5pm today, the Mount Pearl Lions Club, in cooperation with the City of Mount Pearl, will be at Colemans, Dominion, Sobeys and Walmart collecting food for their holiday food drive.
In Conception Bay South, the Blessed Trinity Knights of Columbus will be at Dominion and Sobeys raising donations for the local food bank, while the CBS Fire Department will rotate between both locations, and the local fire department headquarters, for their fill the truck campaign.