When it comes to hunger, there is no season and, for the Salvation Army Food Bank, summer can be stressful.
Volunteer Coordinator, Diane Thorne (L) and volunteer Audrey Perault, worked as a team
When it comes to special holiday times, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, people are generous in their donations of food, money and gift cards. However, over the summer months, when school’s out and people are vacationing, the Food Bank experiences lean times, which means that those who need to use the Bank also experience those same lean times. It’s also a time when school breakfast programs have ended and so it can be particularly hard on children.
“Last week,” says Diane Thorne, Volunteer Co-ordinator, “we did not even have a jar of peanut butter left, which is a staple for many families.”
A food drive, held at Rowland’s Independent Grocer in Port Elgin on Friday, August 3rd and Saturday, August 4th, has helped to replenish the empty shelves. “People in our community have again been very generous,” said Thorne. “We really appreciate their many donations and, in particular, the gift cards they purchased through Independent. The cards enable the Food Bank to buy those items that we see are beginning to run low.”
