The Squamish Food Bank is packing up the holly and pulling out the horns of plenty.
The organization that helps put food on more than 3,700 people's tables wrapped up its Christmas in July drive and is gearing up for the Thanksgiving rush. The mid-summer campaign saw Squamish residents pluck $4,100 out of their wallets for the organization enough money to provide 2 food distributions, food bank coordinator Christina Rupp said.
Besides the cash, approximately 5,000 food items were donated. With the shelves stocked, food bank officials can keep dollars in the organization's kitty for a rainy day, Rupp said.
[Christmas in July] went beyond our expectations. People just kept on coming by to drop off money, she said, and noted that Nesters Market matched the first 400 food items residents donated.
Historically the summer months eat away at the food bank's piggy bank as stock dwindles. Food bank organizers are now planning for the Thanksgiving long weekend.
Squamish Multifaith Association members are lending their hands to the cause. The group is participating in the B.C. Thanksgiving Food Drive on Saturday, Sept. 21. Volunteers will place bags with shopping lists on the door knobs of houses on 38 community routes.
This is the third year the organization will undertake the project, multifaith member Geraldine Guilfoyle said. The initiative was started by Squamish's Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Last year the organization collected more than 7,000 pounds of food. Each route includes up to 120 houses. Donation bags are delivered on the week of Sept. 16 and picked up on Sept. 21 by volunteers.
We would really like to cut down on the amount of work volunteers have to do with the number of volunteers, Guilfoyle said.
If you would like to volunteer, email [email protected].
