Fantastic results for annual food drive
The Westside branch of the Central Okanagan Food Bank received a phenomenal response from the Seventh Annual B.C. Thanksgiving Food Drive Saturday, collecting more than double the donations over last year.
Gary Lynch, operations manager at the Westside branch, calculated close to 14,500 pounds of food had been collected by early Saturday afternoon before the donations made at local supermarkets were factored in. Lynch estimated the drive would break 15,000 pounds of much-needed food. ”That’s one heck of a good day,” said Lynch. Earlier last week volunteers distributed some 9,000 grocery bags to residences throughout the Westside for people to fill and leave on their doorsteps for pick-up Saturday morning.
The filled bags, together with over 2,500 pounds of food collected from Mar Jok Elementary, Rose Valley Elementary and Const. Neil Bruce Middle Schools, were boxed and stacked by regular food bank volunteers as well as food bank clients.
The stacked boxed filled the food bank’s waiting room, reaching close to the ceiling. “We desperately need this,” said Lynch. Lenetta Parry, executive director at the Central Okanagan Community Food Bank, said the B.C. Thanksgiving Food Drive is always important, but this year’s drive came with an added sense of urgency. Typically, during the summer months, Parry said the food bank raises about 200,000 pounds of food. Because of the fires and floods this summer, that number was cut in half.
‘It’s heart-warming to see the community rally behind us and make sure the holidays can be special for everyone,” said Parry.
A crew of organized volunteers spent Monday and Tuesday breaking down and sorting the donations before hamper distribution Wednesday.
“Volunteers are gold,” said Lynch.