Posted: January 7th, 2026
Mount Zion Hosts Special Holiday Food Bank Event
On Sunday, December 21, Mount Zion opened its doors to the community to host a special holiday food bank event, welcoming families with generosity, warmth, and festive cheer.
For over 30 years, Mount Zion has faithfully served the surrounding community by providing food support to individuals and families facing food insecurity.
“At the end of every year, we like to do something a little special for our clients,” shared Mae Camato, Community Service Leader at Mount Zion. “While our food bank usually runs efficiently, the holiday season gives us an opportunity to slow down and create a more welcoming experience. We served coffee, tea, and hot chocolate, enjoyed live holiday music, and thanks to a generous donor, were able to give gift cards to every client to help make the season a little brighter.”
Despite the cold winter weather, the food bank opened at noon and welcomed approximately 95 clients. As families arrived, they were greeted with Christmas music and classic songs, creating an atmosphere filled with warmth, kindness, and joy. Volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure everyone felt welcomed and cared for.
Preparation for the event began days in advance. “Set-up started Thursday evening when we received our delivery from North York Harvest Food Bank,” explained Judy Gamez, Community Administrator. “Volunteers were also here Saturday night and early Sunday morning repackaging fresh bread and preparing special holiday treats. It was truly a team effort.”
Each food hamper included a variety of essential items such as pasta, canned goods, milk, eggs, cereal, bread, fresh produce, and other household staples to support families in the days leading up to Christmas.
The Mount Zion Food Bank remained open until 3:00 p.m., helping as many families as possible before the holiday. It is located at 140 St. Regis Crescent, Toronto, and operates on the first and third Sunday of each month from 12:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. If you would like to volunteer or learn more about this ministry, please email foodbank@mtzion.ca or visit www.mtzion.ca.