“The Gift CK” Food and Toy Drive

By: Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News

 

Ridgetown residents once again showed their tremendous generosity with their donations to The Gift.

 

The community’s benevolence will help many local residents in need have a little more food on their table during the holidays and presents under the tree for their children on Christmas morning.

 

“It went really well, we had a good number of donations, people were very generous,” said Charlie Mitton, captain of the local Gift initiative.

 

A large group of volunteers from the Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, Fire Station 11, East Kent Celebrates, and individual community members went door-to-door on Saturday, November 22, to collect items left on doorsteps by residents across town.

 

Non-perishable food items, toys, games, clothing, baby and hygiene products were collected and sorted by volunteers at the Scout Hut over the past week to prepare for this Saturday’s distribution.

 

Mitton said donations were still being dropped off last week, including two cases of jackets by the Knights of Columbus.

 

“Many individuals and groups donated gift cards, so people can purchase more fresh vegetables and meats to go with the non-perishable items,” Mitton said.

 

Donations also came from Morpeth, Rondeau, Highgate and the surrounding rural area, which were also dropped off in town.

 

All items collected in Ridgetown stay in Ridgetown and are given to local residents in need.

 

Distribution takes place this Saturday, December 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Scout Hut, located at 26 Ebenezer St. W.

 

No registration or qualifications are required; individuals and families from the East Kent area can simply attend the Scout Hut and select their items.

 

“If you are in need of help, just show up,” Mitton said.

 

Families will be given bags to select food items, and if they have children, they will be guided to age-appropriate toys, games and clothing.

 

Any leftover items will be donated to the local food bank and women’s shelters.

 

This is the third year the Ridgetown group has organized The Gift collection and distribution, ensuring everything stays in town.

 

This was the sixth year for The Gift food and toy drive at Christmas in Chatham-Kent, which started in the fall of 2020 following the overwhelming success of the May 16 Miracle food collection drive during the early stages of the pandemic that spring.

 

Many communities across Chatham-Kent hold their own Gift collections, with different distribution methods.