Carleton Place, Ont. girl using 13th birthday to donate to Lanark County Food Bank
Lila Graham turns 13 on March 1 and she only wants one thing for her birthday.
- Sign up now for our nightly CTV News Ottawa newsletter
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
"I want food for my birthday," she said.
Since turning four, the soon to be teenager from Carleton Place, Ont. has been using her birthday to collect donations for the Lanark County Food Bank, also known as, The Hunger Stop.
"For the food bank, we want to donate instead of getting gifts for myself," Lila tells CTV News.
The reason she started donating on her birthday is one you will likely not hear from many other kids – she thought she was getting too many presents.
"Just from things I don't need, and some people need other stuff," she said. "So we thought that it was important to give back."
"We have a huge family and her birthday is so close to Christmas," explains Lila's mother Christie Graham.
"She was getting clothes she didn't have time to wear before she outgrew them and toys she didn't play with, and so we wanted to use her powers for good."
And do good, she has.
"In total, I think it's 1,704 pounds of food and $1,015 donated," Lila said.
Now coming up on her 13th birthday and tenth year donating, Lila is looking to double her lifetime contributions in this year alone.
At the Lanark County Food Bank, 1,700 pounds of food can go a long way.
"That's enough food for about 1,400 meals," said Karen Lomas, chair of the board at the food bank.
"It's wonderful," she said of Lila's yearly donation. "She's become an influencer (within the community) and she's just a lovely person."
Lomas says last month, The Hunger Stop saw 1,400 users come through its doors, double a regular month's total.
"With the number of people that are coming now, it'll go fairly quickly," Lomas said of Lila's donations. "But it's helped so much."
Lila plans to collect donations at her birthday party on March 2 at 219 Blair Street in Carleton Place.
"I didn't think we'd get this much," said Lila. "But it's so exciting to think about how many people we've helped just by this little thing that we do every year."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
LIVE UPDATES Critical infrastructure 'successfully protected': Jasper park officials
Jasper National Park officials in an update said all critical infrastructure in the townsite has been 'successfully protected, including the hospital, emergency services building, both elementary and junior/senior schools, activity centre and wastewater treatment plant.'
Canadian Olympic Committee removes women's soccer team's head coach over drone scandal
The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women's national soccer team head coach Bev Priestman over a drone scandal, according to a press release from the organization.
Yukon woman narrowly escapes bear attack, credits hair clip
A woman in Yukon believes her hair clip helped save her during a bear attack.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
'I was just shocked': Jasper lodge owner on seeing property destroyed by wildfire
On Wednesday night, the owner of Maligne Lodge in Jasper, Alta., was shocked to receive a photo of her business engulfed in flames.
Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond likely has Indigenous DNA: report
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
U.S. authorities have arrested 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel
Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of another infamous cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas on Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department said.
Harris pushes Netanyahu to ease suffering in Gaza: 'I will not be silent'
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to help reach a Gaza ceasefire deal that would ease the suffering of Palestinian civilians, striking a tougher tone than President Joe Biden.
'She led it the whole way': 18-year-old B.C. woman leads hikers to safety in Jasper National Park
As fire threatened people in Jasper National Park, Colleen Knull sprung into action.