ALL ABOARD! The Chew Chew Train IS ON ITS WAY, and it wants to make a special stop at YOUR school!

ALL ABOARD! The Chew Chew Train IS ON ITS WAY, and it wants to make a special stop at YOUR school! 

September is Hunger Action Month, and it's the perfect time to take action! Together, we can make sure our students have full bellies and fueled brains to thrive in school! At the Ignite Durham Learning Foundation, we are dedicated to supporting children and youth throughout their journey with DDSB, working to ease poverty-related stress and strengthen our community. 

This year, the need is greater than ever, and we need YOU to help us fill the shelves! The Make A Difference Depot has already distributed over 300 kg of food hampers in just the first few weeks of school, and we need your help to keep up with the growing demand. 

We know how hard our DDSB staff and community work to support our students, and we’re excited to invite you to host the ‘Chew Chew Train’ at your school this year! Whether it’s a toonie or a truckload, every little bit makes a difference, directly supporting DDSB students and families in need. 

Let’s aim high! This year, our goal is to raise $50,000 worth of food to stock the Depot and make a real, tangible difference in the lives of our students. Last year, thanks to your incredible support, we collected a whopping 6,586.21 kg of food—that’s as much as a herd of African Savannah elephants! Let’s see if we can go even bigger this year! 

Did you know it costs $1,670 a month to feed a family of four? That’s without factoring in special dietary needs, cultural food preferences, or basic household items like toothpaste and cleaning supplies. And with 15.5% of Durham families fearing they’ll run out of food, your support is more important than ever. 

Here’s how YOU can help: 

1. Host a Chew Chew Train Food Drive at your school this year to support the Make A Difference Depot. 

2. In-kind donations of food and essential items are accepted. 

3. You can also help by donating through our Amazon Wish List or making a monetary donation online. 

4. Sign up for 1 (or more!) food drive dates that work for your school community on the attached form. 

5. Once your date is confirmed, the Ignite Durham Learning Foundation will send you digital assets to promote your campaign.

At the end of your campaign, we’ll work with you to coordinate delivery or pick-up of all donations to the Depot. 

Together, we can achieve this goal and ensure that no student goes hungry. Can we count on your support?