Running on Empties is an annual fundraiser for the Christmas Exchange Program. This is our 31st year running this wonderful event! Since its inception in 1988, Running on Empties has raised over $369,158 to help purchase food hampers and redeemable gift vouchers for our neighbours in need for the holidays.
About the Christmas Exchange Program:
- It is a program under the umbrella organization of the Caring and Sharing Exchange. The program has been helping Ottawa-area families in need since 1915.
- We serve all residents within the City of Ottawa regardless of age, ethnicity, creed, or culture.
- We put together and deliver up 700 food hampers to families in the community, as well as providing thousands of redeemable gift vouchers that are redeemable at Giant Tiger stores across the city.
- In 2017, we provided assistance to 17,351 individuals, nearly half of which were children from families in need.
- We work with over 250 agency partners to coordinate holiday food assistance programs across the city, eliminating duplicate applications from program to program and ensuring everyone’s assistance goes as far as possible to serve even more families.