Help Make This a Summer of Hope

Every summer tells a story.

For some, it's a season of rest, the longer days, slower mornings, and time outside with family. But for too many in our city, summer can bring anxiety. When school ends, so do the breakfast and lunch programs many children rely on. That daily support disappears, and the burden shifts entirely to families who are already stretched thin.

Food insecurity continues to rise across Canada. Nearly 10 million people now face it every day, including 1 in 3 children in Ontario. Those aren't just statistics, they're the quiet truth behind too many doors in Hamilton. We see it. We know their names. And we know what it takes to respond.

At Mission Services, we're working to make sure this summer isn't defined by hunger. Through our Good Food Centre, more than 4,600 children will receive groceries and essential items in July and August. Our summer camps and community partnerships will provide meals to more than 100 kids each week, helping families bridge the gap until fall.

It's not extravagant. It's not loud. But it matters. These are meals that give children the energy to play, to grow, to just be kids. For their parents, it's a breath, one less thing to worry about, or relief in a season that can feel relentless. And for the rest of us, it's a reminder that compassion, offered steadily, still delivers hope.

We call this the Summer of Hope because hope isn't a wish - it's a response. A way of showing up, again and again, for the people who count on it the most.

Thank you for being part of that with us.

Shawn MacKeigan

Associate Executive Director of Programs