By: Saeed Akhtar, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter
A record-setting $123,000 raised through last month’s Sleighing Hunger concerts will help stock food banks across Windsor‑Essex and Chatham‑Kent well into 2026, organizers announced during a cheque presentation held Dec. 22, 2025.
The total, revealed at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts, followed two sold‑out performances by The S’Aints at the Chrysler Theatre on Dec. 20 and 21. The annual holiday shows, presented in partnership with St. Clair College, St. Clair Alumni and LiUNA 625, marked the highest fundraising amount in the event’s 15‑year history.
“It is important to remember that hunger is not just a holiday concern — it is a year‑round challenge,” St. Clair College president Michael Silvaggi said at the presentation. “While the festive season inspires giving, the need continues long after the lights and décor are put away. That is why this initiative matters so much: it reminds us that generosity should not be seasonal.”
The S’Aints have now raised more than $700,000 for regional food banks and community programs since the concert series began. Drummer Jeff Burrows said returning to the Chrysler Theatre — where the first Sleighing Hunger show was held — made the 2025 performances especially meaningful.
“It’s a strange position to be able to do something you love, and it turns into something that gives back,” Burrows said. “We feel truly blessed to be part of a family that gives back to the community and to see how sponsors and the community come together.”
Representatives from recipient organizations attended the December cheque presentation, including the Windsor Essex Food Bank Association and Chatham Outreach for Hunger.
June Muir, president of the Windsor Essex Food Bank Association, said the donation will help fill shelves at dozens of food banks at a time when demand continues to rise.
“Sleighing Hunger is about more than music. It’s about community, compassion and a group of performers who donate their time and talent to raise money for food insecurity in our community as well as Chatham,” Muir said.
She noted that one in four Ontarians currently using food banks is employed, and of the 235,000 people who accessed the Windsor Essex Food Bank Association last year, 30 per cent were children.
“Your kindness helps turn music into meals, performances into purpose, and a night of celebration into hope for those who need it most,” she said.
In Chatham‑Kent, the need has also grown. Brenda LeClair, executive director of Chatham Outreach for Hunger, said her organization saw a 20 per cent increase in demand in 2025.
“We’re able to continue to meet that need because of the generosity of these folks who are out there giving every day, volunteering, running food drives and raising money,” LeClair said. “To The S’Aints: You are not just a band who performs and raises money — you are our family.”
The funds raised through the 2025 concerts will support food banks throughout the winter and into the year ahead.