Durham Chew Chew Train organizers are asking residents, schools, businesses and community groups to help raise $50,000 worth of food for students experiencing food insecurity across the region.
The 2026–27 campaign from the Ignite Durham Learning Foundation launched as the new school year began. Donations will help stock the charity’s Nutrition Station, its Make a Difference Depot and smaller depots based at schools in the Durham District School Board.
Food donations can be dropped off at the DDSB Education Centre at 400 Taunton Road East in Whitby on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The foundation is also accepting financial gifts and food orders through online donation options.
Community groups can host a campaign stop
The Durham Chew Chew Train uses a community-wide collection model. Workplaces, schools, sports teams, families and other organizations can register to host a food drive, described by the foundation as a “train stop.” Additional community partners and public drop-off locations are expected to be announced during the campaign.
Ignite Durham says the food collected will help provide meals, snacks and grocery support for local students. The campaign is timed to Hunger Action Month and the return to class, when the foundation says demand for food support is growing.
Residents who cannot organize a collection can still contribute individual items at a participating location or make a financial donation. The foundation’s website also includes a food guide for donors who want to identify useful shelf-stable products.
Support reaches schools across Durham
Ignite Durham Learning Foundation is a charitable organization that works with Durham District School Board educators to remove financial barriers affecting students. Its programs provide food, clothing, footwear, school supplies and access to learning and extracurricular opportunities.
The Make a Difference Depot at Village Union Public School in Oshawa serves as a central collection point for donated essentials. During the school year, DDSB educators can use the depot to obtain items for students who need them. School-based mini depots extend that support to more communities across Durham.
According to the foundation’s public impact figures, it supported more than 136 schools and raised about $1.13 million during 2024–25 across its programs. Those figures cover the organization’s broader work and are not a total for the Chew Chew Train campaign alone.
The current food campaign is separate from the municipality-led Durham Hunger Action Month drive supporting Feed the Need in Durham and participating community food programs. Both initiatives are active in September, but the Chew Chew Train is specifically focused on stocking Ignite Durham’s nutrition resources for DDSB students.
How to take part
People can visit the Ignite Durham Learning Foundation website to donate, review the food guide or learn about hosting a collection. Organizers advise checking the foundation’s current campaign information before travelling because partner locations and collection details may change as new stops are announced.
