KINGSTON, Ont. (Oct. 7, 2024) - Queen's Football will be holding their annual Gaels Tackle Hunger initiative on Thursday, Oct. 10 from 2-6 p.m. at the Metro grocery store on 310 Barrie Street.

Members of the Queen's Football program will be in-person outside the Metro grocery store collecting food and donations in support of Partners in Mission Food Bank (Kingston).

The annual Gaels Tackle Hunger initiative, scheduled leading up to Thanksgiving Weekend, is a priority event for the program.

"We love the Gaels Tackle Hunger program and being able to provide food for those in need at such an important time of the year," said Queen's Football defensive back Ashton Miller-Melancon. "Thanksgiving is a very family-oriented time, a time centered around food, and for all the people that don't have access to that food, being able to provide and give them something to celebrate on this holiday, is something I really cherish and I look forward to every single year."

Last year, Queen's Football collected more than 500 lbs of food and are hoping to get even more this year.

"I feel like it's a very big part of what we're about around this time of the year," said Queen's Football linebacker Justin Pace. "In my first year, I had the chance to be there all day, and I saw how much the Kingston community was involved with this. I feel like it's very important for us to do that every year because not everyone is as lucky or blessed as we are."

"Thanksgiving is really important to us because it's a football holiday. When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of family, food and football," said Queen's Football Head Coach Steve Snyder. "We're grateful to have an opportunity to be able to do the Tackle Hunger initiative and have that influence. Our guys really enjoy it and they love being at Metro - it's a fun day, but it's also about giving back for them."

Queen's Football is on a bye week and will close out their regular season schedule next weekend with the Homecoming Game, Saturday, Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. against the Waterloo Warriors.