From 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., fans and the public are invited to drop off their non-perishable food items and donations outside the Bell Centre, at Canadiens Plaza near the entrance of the Rio Tinto Courtyard. The donations collected during the day will be given to various local charities, including
Moisson Montréal
,
Sun Youth
and the
Societé de Saint-Vincent de Paul
, who will redistribute them to families in need in Greater Montreal.
Until the beginning of the game against the Colorado Avalanche, Youppi! and former Canadiens players will take turns along Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal to collect food and cash contributions. Spokespersons for the 21st edition of the Media Food Drive, such as actress Salomé Corbo as well as TV hosts Josée Lavigueur and Pascal Morrissette, will also be present to thank fans for their generosity. As such, the first 1,000 people to donate a value of $5 or more will receive a free Christmas tree ornament, in addition to a chance to win numerous prizes, including Canadiens items, or one of 20 pairs of tickets for an upcoming Habs game at the Bell Centre.
Throughout the day, the MégaFan Ford team will be energizing volunteers and donors and creating a festive holiday atmosphere at Canadiens Plaza, thanks to a live DJ and entertainment, and the distribution of hot chocolate. Starting at 5:00 p.m., fans will also be able to warm up around the campfire or to play games in the CIBC Pregame Zone. Passersby will also be able to attend the filming of live pregame RDS TV shows, directly from the mobile Bell Studio, located at the entrance of the Rio Tinto Courtyard.
"More and more households are taken aback by the cost of living and the price of food, which continues to rise, and must now rely on food aid programs in order to adequately feed themselves. To make ends meet, more than 600,000 Quebecers turn to food banks in the province every month, which represents a 21.6% increase since 2019. For our organization, just like for many Quebecers, Christmastime is the perfect time to give back to those who need it most. We invite our fans to join us and show generosity to ensure that everyone can celebrate the holiday season with dignity," explains Geneviève Paquette, vice-president of community engagement for the Montreal Canadiens.
What to give?
It is also possible to donate online at
guignolee.ca
or by texting "XMAS" to 20222 for a contribution of $10.
About the Media Food Drive
Since its inception in 2001, the Media Food Drive has raised more than $49 million and thousands of kilos of food for over 100 food banks and other organizations in the province. The operation is held during the Holiday period, but also when the economic need arises, as it did at the beginning of the pandemic in the spring of 2020. The Media Food Drive organized an emergency campaign to respond to the crisis that raised $1.2 million.
