York Regional Police launch 'Jump on the Wagon' food drive

Members of the York Regional Police Court Services Bureau are launching the seventh annual Jump on the Wagon campaign this weekend at area grocery stores.

Residents are invited to fill a York Regional Police prisoner wagon with food items. The proceeds will then be distributed to local food banks and womens' shelters across the region in time for the holidays.

Prisoner wagons and police cruisers will be stationed at the following locations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Nov. 25 and 26 at Costco locations at 71 Colossus Dr. in Vaughan and 18182 Yonge St. in Newmarket; Dec. 2 and 3 at Loblaws at 200 Bullock Dr. in Markham and Zehrs at

24018 Woodbine Ave. in Keswick; and Dec. 9 and 10 at Dominion at 16640 Yonge St. in Newmarket and The Real Canadian Superstore at 15900 Bayview Ave. in Aurora.

This initiative runs in partnership with the Toys for Tots campaign and the Quiet Food Drive, which are supported by members of York Regional Police and

their community partners to assist those in need during the holidays.

Approximately 20 school buses will drop off all food collected at York Region schools in the Quiet Food Drive, all toys collected at Canadian Tire stores and local police stations in the Toys for Tots campaign and the food gathered in prisoner wagons from the Jump on

the Wagon campaign at a central depot in Newmarket Dec. 11.

Police, in partnership with student volunteers, will be on hand to assist with the sorting of these items, which will then be distributed to 22 local charities across the region. It's anticipated that more than 1,000 families will benefit from these three initiatives.