Atlantic Superstore launches food drive

The Atlantic Superstore has launched a holiday food drive at its stores across P.E.I.

Running until Dec. 24 at all Superstore, Your Independent Grocer and No Frills store locations, staff will be collecting nonperishable food items, including baby food, as well as cash donations to help community members in need across the province.

All of the donations at each store will stay in the local community.

In the Charlottetown area, the Upper Room Hospitality Ministry will be supported by the Charlottetown Superstore at 465 University Ave., Shawn’s No Frills in Stratford and the Cornwall Your Independent Grocer.

The West Royalty Superstore at 680 University Ave. will support the Charlottetown Salvation Army while the Summerside Atlantic Superstore and Kensington Your Independent Grocer will collect donations for the Summerside Salvation Army.

The Montague Superstore will support Southern Kings and Queens Food Bank, Your Independent Grocer in Souris will support the Souris Food Bank and Alberton’s Your Independent Grocer will support West Prince

Caring Cupboard.

Food Banks Canada’s latest hunger count report shows that in P.E.I., children make up close to 40 per cent of those using the services of food banks (38.5 per cent). Almost 3,000 Islanders rely on assistance from food banks each month.

“As the winter closes in, and especially during the holidays, there are so many stresses on a household budget. Sometimes, there just isn’t enough money for everything,’’ said Mike MacDonald of the Upper Room Hospitality Ministry and P.E.I. Food Bank Association.

Ellen Greenan, registered dietician at the West Royalty Atlantic Superstore, said that most needed items are the same ones people fill their cart with each week.

“Think about the healthy pantry staples that you stock up each week on to feed your own family – wholegrain cereals, hearty soups, canned fish such as tuna and salmon, pasta and pasta sauces, canned vegetables and fruits,’’ Greenan said.

Last year during the holiday food drive, Islanders donated $25,931 and thousands of pounds of non-perishable food to local food banks across the province.