Supporting our community: Mayor Darling and Members of Common Council invite you to a virtual breakfast in support of the Harbour Lights Campaign

This year, the Saint John City Market portion of the Harbour Lights Campaign will look and feel a little different. To ensure that the level of support from our community remains strong, and our local foodbanks receive the help they need, we have come up with an innovative, virtual approach to connecting with the community and raising funds.

Although we will not proceed with our annual Mayor’s breakfast, or the traditional CBC live broadcast, Mayor Don Darling and members of Saint John Common Council invite you to join us for a Virtual Breakfast at 8 a.m. on Friday, December 18 in support of Harbour Lights. To join virtually, tune in with us live on the Saint John City Market Facebook page.

Our goal for this year is $3,301.

To donate at any time between now and December 18, visit www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/mayors-virtual-breakfast.

Be sure to follow the Facebook event (https://www.facebook.com/events/139668874355895/) page for CBC interviews, special messages from your City Councilors, merchant spotlights, and more, leading up to the event.

On behalf of Mayor and Council, and all of us at the Saint John City Market, we thank the community for supporting this year’s Harbour Lights Campaign.

About The Harbour Lights Campaign Inc

The Harbour Lights Campaign Inc is a registered charity with a mission to coordinate fundraising and disperse donations to 15 food banks in Southwestern New Brunswick on an annual basis. Last year, thanks to the generosity of donors, the charity raised $226,500 for food banks in communities from Sussex to St. Stephen. Funds are dispersed based on the hunger count provided by the food banks and over half of the 2020 total was provided to food banks that support residents of Saint John.

The popular fundraiser takes place each December and has traditionally included a public breakfast with the Mayor and Council in the Saint John City Market.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increase in the demand for support from local food banks. In recognition of pandemic restrictions around gathering, the Campaign founding partners have moved to virtual means. To ensure the health and well-being of all, in-person event aspects of the Campaign will not be held in 2020. All donations will be received by virtual means, including the long-established Canada Helps page and via the Campaign P.O. Box. As a result, community organizations have gotten creative with virtual fundraising efforts to support the cause.

For more information, visit www.harbourlightssj.ca