The Meaning of Giving: Reflections from the London Food Coalition

Today I found myself thinking about the meaning of giving. Not because it’s a special day or a campaign deadline, but because this work constantly reminds me that giving shows up in countless ways — each one meaningful, each one necessary. Whether it’s a planned donation, a quick act of generosity, a bag of rescued food, a volunteer shift squeezed between responsibilities, or a moment of kindness offered to someone who needs it — it all matters. It all moves something forward.

At the London Food Coalition, giving is the heartbeat of our entire ecosystem. Every pound of food we collect represents someone choosing to share what they can. A retailer deciding to call us instead of discarding good food. A farmer loading extra produce into a truck. A volunteer carving out time in a busy week to sort, lift, organize, deliver, or simply show up with a smile. And every financial gift — from a spontaneous $5 donation to a major contribution — plays a direct role in keeping our refrigerated truck on the road, our food hub humming, and good food flowing into the community.

At its core, giving is a form of connection. And across Turtle Island, many Indigenous teachings remind us that giving is also a form of gratitude. The Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address, for example, begins by acknowledging the gifts of Creation — the land, the waters, the plants, the animals — and recognizing the responsibilities that come with those gifts. Giving, in this worldview, isn’t an obligation or a transaction. It’s a way of honouring the relationships that sustain us. It’s returning something back to the circle.

I think about that often when I watch our refrigerated truck pull into the Food Hub, full of produce that might otherwise have gone to landfill. Thousands of pounds of food each week — tomatoes, greens, fruit, dairy, bread — all of it rescued, protected, and shared with dignity. In those moments, I’m reminded that our work is about more than logistics. We’re participating in a cycle of abundance and care: honouring the land by reducing waste, honouring people by ensuring access to nutritious food, honouring our partners and donors by stewarding their contributions with integrity.

As we approach Giving Tuesday — and the broader season of giving that follows — I’ve been reflecting on how many faces generosity can wear. Some people give their time. Some give money. Some give food. Some give encouragement. Some give wisdom, humour, or a listening ear. Some give because they have a lot. Some give because they’ve had very little and want to make sure others feel supported.

Every kind of giving strengthens the whole.

At the LFC, we see the impact daily. When a member agency tells us they were able to keep their shelves stocked. When someone shares that a rescued box of vegetables allowed them to cook a real meal for their family. When a donor says they feel proud to contribute to something that multiplies — turning a single gift into thousands of meals across the city. When a volunteer says this work helped them feel connected again.

Giving expands. Giving uplifts. Giving reminds us that community isn’t accidental — it’s something we create together through thousands of individual acts, each one meaningful in its own right.

So this Giving Tuesday, and throughout the season of generosity, I invite you to be part of this circle with us. Whether through a financial gift, a moment of your time, a donation of food, or a gesture of kindness — you are helping move abundance with dignity across our city.

Giving isn’t just something we do. It’s a way of living in relationship. And I’m grateful every day to be part of that with you.