CUPE 543 providing Thanksgiving meals to families in need

600 Thanksgiving dinner hampers have been handed out to those battling food insecurity in Windsor-Essex.

Members of CUPE 543 distributed the hampers Thursday morning at the UHC-Hub of Opportunities on Cantelon Drive.

It’s the 10th year the local has hosted “Thanksgiving Give Back” campaign with the Windsor-Essex Food Bank Association.

Local 543 President David Petten says 500 turkey dinners were given to families, while 100 chicken dinners were given to single individuals.

He says his members are always pleased to participate in the campaign.

“They basically see the need in our community each and everyday in the work that they do and certainly they have an expectation that, that we are also going to be apart of helping our community,” he says.

Petten says over the years, he has talked to many families who received a Thanksgiving hamper.

“I’ll tell you over the years hearing some of the stories from individuals, it’s more than a meal,” says Petten.  “I had one lady who was crying because she was so happy that this would be the first year that she was actually able to host Thanksgiving for her family.  It was a matter of dignity for her.”

He adds being able to give back is great but real solutions are needed to deal with poverty in the community.

“We basically have a lot of individuals in our community that are struggling right now and at the end of the day while it’s great to be apart of this, we really need our governments to step in and step up and actually do something to help eradicate poverty within our community,” he says.    

Petten says families and individuals who received a hamper pre-registered.

The hampers included turkey or chicken, carrots, potatoes, onions, stuffing, apples, cookies, and a bag of candy.

CUPE 543 represents roughly 1600 municipal, public health, community housing, childcare, long term care and environmental members.