Food bank seeks corporate boost - May. 25, 2010
Kathy Bockus/Courier
Justin Henderson of St. Stephen is a volunteer with the local food bank. He's seen here stocking the almost empty shelves. Coordinator Donna Linton said the food bank is desperate for donations after giving out 8,009.5 pounds of food between May 1 and May 21. Food donations only amounted to 1,245.5 during that same period, requiring the food bank to spend the rest of the money it received at Christmas.
BY KATHY BOCKUS
kathy@stcroixcourier.ca
ST. STEPHEN – Donna Linton is feeling a bit like Old Mother Hubbard.
The food bank coordinator says her shelves are all but bare because of the high demand from local families this month.
Between May 1 and May 21, the food bank has distributed 8,009.5 pounds of food, giving out 216 food hampers. Donations to the food bank for that same time period only amounted to 1,245.5 pounds.
“I spent the rest of the Christmas money. That’s the end of it,” said Linton, referring to the financial donations that came in during the holiday season.
Linton is counting on the success of the St. Stephen Chamber of Commerce Corporate Food Challenge currently underway in St. Stephen to fill the food bank shelves.
Last year the nine businesses who participated raised 1,000 pounds. Linton is hoping the friendly competition will be more successful this year.
“We’d love to see it doubled. We do need it. We’re empty,” said Linton.
“We do need the support of the challenge and the canned and non-perishable food items it brings in.”
“We hope people ramp up those donations because we will be going around collecting the food on May 28.”
After collection is complete, the food will be weighed and a winner announced. Linton said St. Stephen’s corporate citizens need to be commended on their awareness and their efforts.
Linton said she cannot stress enough the importance also of the random donations of five and 10 pounds of food and the $10 and $20 donations that come in.
“Those get us through to the end of the month.”
Linton is also looking forward to donations raised by the Golf Hunger Challenge, set for June 4 at the St. Stephen Golf Club,which could potentially be an even bigger winner for the food bank.
It coincides with a campaign by Kraft Canada which donates $150,000 to food banks across Canada, matching donations that come in between June 1 and 11.
Last year the food banks in St. Stephen, Grand Manan and St. George applied for and shared $10,000 from Kraft Canada.
“Kraft will match all donations up to $10,000 per province,” said Linton, adding she wondered if the local food banks would be as successful this year since they managed such a large donation from the company last year.
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