This Remembrance Day we're remembering the Canadian Red Cross volunteers who helped with the Food Parcel Effort. Throughout World War II, over one million Canadian Red Cross volunteers helped with the food parcel effort by assembling, packaging and shipping food parcels to civilians and prisoners of war. From 1941-1945, approximately 16.5 million food parcels were shipped from the first Parcel Branch office in Toronto as well as offices in Montreal, Windsor, Winnipeg, and Hamilton.
Each food parcel weighed 11lbs and contained items like powdered milk, butter, cheese, dried or canned meat and fish, dried biscuits, chocolate, tea, dried fruits or vegetables, and soap and were critical to maintaining basic nutrition levels. Nearly 1 in 10 Canadians were contributing to the Canadian Red Cross relief effort as a volunteer during World War II.