House of Blessing gets thousands in cash, cheques and food donations

Richard and Jean Smelski, Margaret and Bruce Whitmore, Lori Stewart of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, and Eva Hayes, executive director of the Stratford House of Blessing pose behind over a hundred boxes of cereal, all thanks to a one-time campaign undergone by the Smelskis and Whitmores.

Last week was an exiting time for staff at the Stratford House of Blessing food bank, when it got unprecedently large donations organized by two local couples.

Stratford’s Bruce and Margaret Whitmore and Shakespeare’s Richard and Jean Smelski said that while they continue to eat very well in their areas, local food banks are in real need.

Initially, the couples thought that maybe they could each ask 100 friends to give one or two boxes of cereal to the cause. They were hoping they could get 250 boxes of cereal, just cereal, and keep it simple.

The four had been reading about food insecurity in Perth County in farm papers and had to know more.

The Whitmores visited a couple of food banks, including St.Joseph’s Saint Vincent de Paul food kitchen and the House of Blessing, to see how big the problem might be.

They then contacted all 13 county food banks to get numbers of clients served. Even some working families needed food bank help to feed their family, and they were shocked that 250 boxes of cereal would not come close to the need. They decided they were going to need a bigger base of donors.

The Whitmores and Smelkskis said they tapped agribusinesses which had a vested interest in cereal, including seed companies, farmers, farmer organizations, input depot, elevators and grocery stores.

The Whitmores visited three places to get a read on how the idea would be received in early January of 2026. As luck would have it, former students either owned or managed those three organizations.

The first said they would give 100 boxes, the second place matched that amount and the third place said they would give $1,000 for cereal.

Bruce said, “they were on a roll, and it was doable.”

They contacted all 13 food banks in Perth County to find that 1,805 households went to a food bank once a month. In fact, cereal becomes supper by the end of the month in some households and they were told that the 20 per cent increase in usage was expected this year and that was before gas prices spiked.

When both couples knew of the serious need, they raised their expected goal to 2,500 boxes of cereal and set out to visit agribusinesses.

They said they were welcomed by the nicest people in many organizations, who knew there was a problem of food insecurity and responded just as the three businesses before them had.

Bruce said they followed up two or three times to get a cheque, because company managers had to look at their budgets or contact head offices. Very few declined the invitation to help and some preferred to work with the Food Grains organization, which was also a great way to help those in need.

At this time, the couples said they are at $18,304 in donation pledges, with a couple of organizations still to come with their donations. A couple of cheques will also be coming from head offices, but they are sure the money will come.

The Whitmores and Smelskis have delivered 151 boxes of cereal to the House of Blessing already and there are 149 more boxes to come. They will turn over all the cereal and cheques on hand to the House of Blessing and they will divide up the proceeds on a percentage basis, depending on the number of clients served by each food bank in Perth County.

According to Bruce and Richard, this effort was a one shot deal but they were very happy for all those individuals and organizations that donated, and now hungry families will be eating, because of those most generous in their giving.