A donated catering van from Progressive Auto Sales is helping Sarnia Blessings continue delivering more than 1,000 meals each week to seniors and post-surgery clients across Lambton County.
Sarnia Blessings is hitting the road with renewed purpose thanks to the donation of a 2020 Ford Transit catering van from Progressive Auto Sales.
The official handover took place Thursday, July 17, at the Exmouth Street dealership, where staff from both organizations gathered to mark the occasion.
The new van is a significant upgrade for the volunteer-run nonprofit, which prepares and delivers more than 1,000 meals each week to seniors and post-surgery clients across Lambton County. Until recently, the group had relied on a personal SUV to transport food, supplies and equipment—until an accident rendered it unusable.
“Reliable transportation is vital to ensuring our catering gets to its destination safely,” said a Sarnia Blessings representative. “We’re incredibly grateful. This gift from Progressive Auto Sales is a game-changer for our ministry.”
Sarnia Blessings runs entirely without government or formal funding. Its meal ministry is supported in part through catering services, which help sustain operations and offset costs. The new van will be used for food pickup, meal delivery, and transporting packaging and equipment.
In a social media post, the organization shared that while preparing and packing meals earlier this week, operations paused briefly so volunteers could attend the ceremony.
“We were honoured to attend a vehicle handover ceremony at Progressive Auto Sales, where we received a tremendous gift,” the group posted. “Dan & John Whitton and the entire Progressive team responded in a BIG way. We are truly grateful—and we thank God for this blessing.”
Progressive Auto Sales made the donation in response to a direct appeal from Sarnia Blessings, following the organization’s loss of its only delivery vehicle.
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