It started with a simple goal: fill a Ford F-150 Raptor with food and essentials for local families. What happened during the Watkin Motors Ford Food Drive in Vernon was much bigger than that.
Children arrived with bags of groceries. Neighbours pooled their donations. Local businesses lent a hand. A firetruck pulled up to the dealership. The Raptor filled up, and Vernon kept giving.
Every item collected stays right here, with the Salvation Army Vernon Community Food Bank and the individuals and families who rely on it.
Thank you to everyone who brought food and essentials to Watkin Motors Ford for the Ford Food Drive in Vernon.
When a firetruck pulls up, you don’t expect this
One of the most memorable moments of the drive began when a firetruck stopped in front of Watkin Motors Ford. For a moment, we wondered if something was wrong.
Instead, it was a group of Vernon firefighters, led by John Doorman, arriving with a truckload of kindness. John and his crew, including a firefighter who wasn’t even on shift, had taken time out of their day to go shopping and personally buy food and everyday essentials for the food bank.
They weren’t responding to an emergency. They were responding to a community need.
“It’s always a pleasure to support a great cause, especially one that directly helps people in our own community. We’re happy to do our part and hope it encourages others to give what they can.”
Serving a community doesn’t stop when a shift ends. To John and the entire crew: thank you for everything you do for Vernon, on and off duty.
One newspaper article, a group of neighbours, a carload of food
After reading about the drive in the Vernon Morning Star, a local resident named Jerry decided he wanted to help. He didn’t stop at his own donation. Jerry reached out to his neighbours, and together they gathered enough to fill a car and deliver it to Watkin Motors Ford.
“We saw the article and thought, why not get the neighbours together and do something to help? Everyone contributed what they could, and before we knew it, we had a carload ready to donate. It’s nice knowing it’s going to help people right here in Vernon.”
One small action can inspire many others. Thank you to Jerry and his neighbours for turning a newspaper article into something that will make a real difference.
From the young to the young at heart, Vernon showed up
Throughout September, people from all walks of life came through our doors: children, families, longtime customers, staff, local businesses and residents. Some brought a few items. Others brought bags and boxes. Every contribution was welcome, and every one mattered.
The Raptor stopped being a display vehicle. It became a picture of what happens when a whole community works toward one shared purpose.
Why the Vernon food bank needs it
Food insecurity isn’t something that happens somewhere else. The Salvation Army Vernon Community Food Bank reports these figures about the people it serves:
A global Ford initiative with a local impact
The food drive is part of Ford’s Global Caring Month, which brings Ford dealerships, employees and communities together every September. In 2025, more than 3,000 Ford dealerships in 31 countries collected over two million pounds of food, including more than 212,000 pounds from Canadian dealers.
The initiative reaches around the world, but the impact of the Vernon food drive stays local. All food and essentials collected at Watkin Motors Ford go to the Salvation Army Vernon Community Food Bank.
“We’re incredibly grateful to be part of a community that continues to show up for one another. The Ford Food Drive is about coming together to support local families and individuals who need a helping hand. What makes this initiative especially meaningful is that everything we collect stays right here in our community, helping our neighbours when they need it most.”
A thank-you from the Salvation Army
“We’re truly grateful for the incredible support from the Vernon firefighters, Watkin Motors Ford, its customers and staff, local businesses, and everyone in our community who has stepped forward to give. With so many individuals and families facing difficult times, this kind of generosity is needed now more than ever. Every donation makes a difference, and it’s heartwarming to see our community come together to care for one another.”
Vernon, this one belongs to you
Watkin Motors Ford has been part of Vernon since 1915. In that time we’ve learned that what makes a community special isn’t its history, its businesses or its landmarks. It’s its people.
To our firefighters, Jerry and his neighbours, our customers, staff, local businesses, families, and everyone who stopped by to donate: thank you. You didn’t just help us fill a Raptor. You helped fill the shelves of our local food bank and showed what happens when neighbours look after neighbours.
From all of us at Watkin Motors Ford, we’re proud to be part of this community.
Food drive questions
Where did the Ford Food Drive donations go?
Every item collected at Watkin Motors Ford goes to the Salvation Army Vernon Community Food Bank, which serves individuals and families in Vernon.
The September drive is over. How can I still help?
The need continues year-round. The food bank is at 5400 24th Street in Vernon and keeps a list of the items it needs most.
What is the Global Ford Dealer Food Drive?
It is Ford’s September food drive, part of Global Caring Month, in which Ford dealers collect food for their local food banks. Read how it worked in Vernon on our Ford Food Drive in Vernon page.
See what the Salvation Army Vernon Community Food Bank needs most and keep helping local families all year.
Where these details come from: food bank figures from the Salvation Army Vernon Community Food Bank; 2025 Global Ford Dealer Food Drive totals as reported by the Vernon Morning Star, 17 September 2026. Last checked 1 October 2026.