10th annual Gateway Food Drive rolls in 13K lbs of community generosity

by Haldimand Press Staff

May 7, 2026

By Randy Carter
The Haldimand Press

CALEDONIA—With the help of 200 volunteers, the 10th annual Gateway Food Drive collected 13,800lbs of food to support local food banks.

CALEDONIA—Jordan Baker and Suneela Arthur (left) helped sort and pack boxes of donations at the 10th annual Gateway Food Drive in Caledonia.

Residents were previously asked to leave donations outside for pickup. The army of volunteers hit the streets of Caledonia on the morning of Saturday, May 2, 2026 to collect donations from 38 routes across the town. Donations were brought back to the church, unloaded into shopping carts, and brought into the auditorium where more volunteers awaited to sort, box, and weigh the collection.

CALEDONIA—Jase and Levi Postma (right) were among the many volunteers gathering donations from local doorsteps. The May 2, 2026 event brought together 200 volunteers who gathered 13,800lbs of food for local food banks across Haldimand County. —Haldimand Press photos by Randy Carter.

Once completed, the boxes were loaded onto 20 pallets to be distributed to local food banks alongside gift card donations. The operation ran like a well-oiled machine, with everyone knowing their responsibility.

  • CALEDONIA—The food drive organizing team included (l-r) Abby Leland, Maggi Dowdell, Emily Shelton, and Dan Ott. —Haldimand Press photos by Randy Carter.
  • CALEDONIA—Aidan Zimmerman pushes a full cart of donations into the church for sorting.
  • CALEDONIA—Ben King (11) places a box for weighing while Heather Woods enters the weight.
  • CALEDONIA—Collection volunteers worked together in teams. This team included (l-r) Kevin, Jase, and Levi Postma with Mike Wood.

While the Caledonia and District Food Bank received the largest portion of donations, the food banks in Hagersville, Jarvis, Cayuga, and Dunnville all benefitted from this effort.

Unfortunately, this year’s collection marked a sharp decline in donations. Following 19,000lbs gathered in 2025, organizers were hoping to collect 20,000lbs this year. The decline reflects an ongoing trend seen in food banks nationally, as demand has increased while donations have decreased. Organizers are still accepting donations this week for anyone who may have missed the deadline for pickup.