CBC Sing-In charity drive volunteers shake cans for NDG Food Depot

The CBC Montreal Sing-In charity drive brought out more than 100 volunteers, shaking cans and invitingMontrealers to donate.

Joining CBC staff at the collection sites were volunteers from the Do Crew, Bank of Montreal, the NDG Food Depot and the phys.ed staff at Champlain College who decided to help out instead of hold a Christmas party this year.

• CLICK HERE TO DONATE
• CBC'sChristmas Sing-In raises more than $44K for the NDG Food Depot
• More Quebecers turned to food banks in 2015 compared to last year

Once again this year, all proceeds from the CBC Sing-In charity drivego to theNDG Food Depot a community-based, non-profit organization that works with other community partners to address issues of food security in the west-endneighbourhood.

Its programs include: food and cooking skills, emergency food baskets, community gardensand volunteer-run meals.

Meet some of the volunteers who shookcans for a good cause this year:

Paul Andrew Fournier

Paul was born in Montreal but lives in Timmins, Ont., where he's a metallurgical engineer at a mine. He reads CBC Montreal on the web to keep up with news from home. That's how he found out about the fundraiser.

So he planned his vacation home toMontreal around it.

He says he would love to volunteer with the CBC again the next time he's in Montreal.

Jill Morton

Jill, a garden designer who lives in NDG, has volunteered with the CBC Do Crew since January 2014. This is her fifth time volunteering with theCBC, she said.

She said this year is a breeze compared to last year's charity drive, when the weather was so much colder.

Jill also volunteers for the NDG Food Depotat the market March Bonne Bouffe every Friday.

Diana Glennie

It's Diana's first time volunteering with the CBC.

The physics teacher at Dawson College readabout the charity driveon the CBC websitelast week,and she plans to volunteer for the Do Crew in the future.

Diana movedto Montreal from Hamilton, Ont. earlier this year with her husband, a neuroscientistat theDouglas Mental Health UniversityInstitute.

Michael Sanders

Michael, from Westmount, heard about the NDG Food Depot two years ago, then he paid a visit with a friend. He was impressed by what he saw.

"The depot is extremely important. Who else is going to do it? People need fruit and vegetables. They need healthy food," he said.

He volunteered by shaking a donation can at the Monkland Street Provigo for two hours in the morning.

What's his tip for getting donations? He says to make eye contact.

"Once you make eye contact, people feel they have to come back to you," he said.

"Make a little connection, some conversation. It all helps!"

Champlain College teachers

Dana Rittmaster,Marc Dagenais andErin Goldsteinteach physical education atChamplainCollege in Saint-Lambert. The teachers were planning to have a work party, but instead they spent the day volunteering for the charity drive.

"We were looking for a volunteer opportunity, something more meaningful for our workparty," Dana said

Catherine Richards

Catherine Richards heard about the charity drivefrom her local group, TheWesthillGrandmothers, which supports the Stephen Lewis Foundationraising funds for grandmothers in Africa.
It's her first time volunteering on theCBC Do Crew.

Cory Horowitz

Cory has beena regular volunteer at the NDGFood Depot since 2014, when she heard about it through another CBC fundraiser.

"I kind offigured I'd spend the day here today," the NDG resident said."The Food Depot is a wonderful organization. There's lots of respect."

Other volunteers in action