AMA teams with local food banks

‘FILL OUR FLEET’ PROGRAM WORKS WITH FOOD BANKS ACROSS ALBERTA

The Alberta Motor Association and Lethbridge food banks are joining forces to bring holiday cheer to families in need with AMA’s Fill Our Fleet campaign which began recently. This is the seventh year in which AMA has partnered with food banks across Alberta but the first year where the Lethbridge Food Bank and the Interfaith Food Bank will come together for the campaign.

Danielle McIntyre, executive director for Interfaith, said the partnership with AMA has helped immensely when overseeing their fiscal year.

“The funds that we recruit at this time of year not only help us serve our local families at Christmas time but they determine what we’re able to offer in the year to come,” said McIntyre. “This time of year is crucial for us and having that influx of cash is really valuable because it impacts our budget for the next year.”

For the last four years, the Interfaith Food Bank has received over $9,000 worth of support in food and funds.

Interfaith is appreciative of groups like AMA who do these campaigns on their behalf.

“We really appreciate their help in spreading the word about supporting local charities especially at this time of year,” said McIntyre. “Supporting the food banks financially in addition to the donations of food is always a wonderful thing.”

Jane Flower, vice-president of brand and member experience for AMA, knows how important campaigns like Fill Our Fleet are to those in need.

“Over the course of the last seven years, we have raised more than 200 pallets of food across the province, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in monetary donations,” said Flower.

“Our goal province-wide for 2018 is 30 pallets of food and $50,000 in monetary donations.” Two hundred pallets of food would fill four NHL-sized hockey rinks and $50,000 in donations would feed 150,000 Albertans.

With the demand for food banks in Alberta going up by 60 per cent in the last four years, AMA felt the campaign was the best way to give back to those in need.

“There’s so many opportunities to give this time of year, and for us, AMA stands for protecting the things that matter to our members,” said Flower. “Nothing matters more than nourishment at the end of the day, so our commitment to the food bank is because we believe that we can add the greatest value there.”

The Fill Our Fleet campaign will continue until Dec. 10. People in the community can donate non-perishable food items in person to AMA, while other funds can be donated online at fillourfleet.ca, or through our local food banks online.

AMA members will get to have a free picture with Santa as a special thank you for donating. That will take place on Dec. 1 at AMA from 9 a.m. to noon.

For more information on Christmas programs and events like Fill Our Fleet, visit www.ChristmasHope.ca.