For the past three years Chilcotin Road Elementary students and staff have challenged one another to see which group could collect the most food for the Salvation Army Food Bank Thanksgiving Food drive. Someone from the losing side has to wear a turkey costume, and every year that someone has been from the staff. Pictured are student organizers Christie Young, Sydney Goward, and Summer Lingholt passing food up to Salvation Army driver Tim Bailey with Salvation Army community services worker Shandi Warkentin and principal Kelvin Parent in the turkey costume. Gaeil Farrar photo
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Letter to Editor
ShareFood drive starts today
By Gaeil Farrar - Williams Lake Tribune
Published: October 10, 2008 7:00 PM
Demand for Food Bank services are increasing in the lakecity just as the Salvation Army is preparing for its annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.
“In September 35 new families accessed the Food Bank indicating the growing need for assistance in Williams Lake,” Capt. Claudine Kadonaga says.
Currently, Kadonaga says there are more than 450 people each month assisted by the Food Bank.
Food donations also provide for another 1,150 meals served at the Salvation Army’s drop-in centre.
The Salvation Army is running their annual Thanksgiving Food Drive from Oct. 10 to 18.
Bags to fill with food donations will be distributed through today’s Tribune Weekend.
People may drop off donations at Save-On Foods, Safeway, The Canadian Wholesale Club, The Salvation Army Thrift Store on Third Avenue and the Salvation Army Food Bank/Drop-in on Borland Street.
Kadonaga says the Food Bank has enough stores to continue on for a couple of months thanks to the generosity of the community when the stocks ran low during the summer. “Six weeks ago we were in crisis but people have been very generous.”
She hopes the Thanksgiving and Christmas food drives will carry the Food Bank through most of next year.
Donations of staples are requested including powdered milk and canned goods of all types: tuna, salmon, turkey, chicken, ham, fruit, vegetables, soup, pork and beans, and pasta sauce.
To go with the pasta sauce the Food Bank welcomes donations of dried pasta, oats and cereals of all types, peanut butter, jam and other long-lasting staples.
Kadonaga says there is a two-part system to how the Food Bank distributes food hampers.
Anyone, regardless of income can qualify for emergency food aid up to twice a year.
If emergency help is needed more than twice a year, she says individuals and families may fall into the category of needing regular assistance, and/or assistance in managing their budgets.
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To qualify for food assistance, she says people must provide statements of their income and shelter expenses including rent, heat, and light.
Compared to Food Banks in other communities, she says the ceiling on who qualifies for assistance is very generous in Williams Lake.
Along with food assistance, she says the Salvation Army also provides classes in cooking to help people learn how to stretch their food budget, classes in budgeting.
Life skills classes are also provided by he Salvation Army.
