On Saturday (Sept. 21) , 6,000 volunteers across B.C. will collect more than 350,000 pounds of cereal, pasta and other canned items for the province's food banks.
Locally, the Squamish Multifaith Association has taken up the cause, leading the way in the B.C. Thanksgiving Food Drive. This week, volunteers placed bags with food wish lists on the door knobs of houses throughout Squamish. On Saturday morning, they'll be around to pick them up.
"We have to make it as simple and effective for volunteers and for people that are donating," food drive organizer Barb Hayden said.
To blanket Squamish, the community is divided into 38 routes, with each route including up to 120 houses. Hayden hopes one-day the event will garner enough volunteers to cover all 38 paths, noting currently participants complete approximately half of them.
"There are a lot of people that are starting to know it's an annual event," she said.
This is the third year the multifaith organization has helped with the food drive, which was initiated by Squamish's Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hayden got on board last year. She enjoys the opportunity to participate in an activity that directly aids others in her community.
"It's nice to just think that physically you can do something to help someone," Hayden said.
Last year, the organization collected more than 7,000 pounds of food. The community came out in force, Hayden said, noting that count doesn't include a truckload of food the Squamish Sikh community donated to the drive. Hayden hopes this drive will top last year's haul.
"This is a great thing and it really works," she said.
For more information on the food drive visit www.bcfooddrive.org.
