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Local food banks seek community support during the holiday season

Colin Payne
By Colin Payne
December 14th, 2014

‘Tis the season for giving, and Nelson’s local food banks are hoping area residents will continue their tradition this year of donating to the organizations that help feed those in our community most in need.

The Salvation Army’s kettles are Christmas institutions on the streets of Nelson, and the Salvation Army food bank provides food for 1,100 to 1,200 people per month – or about 10 percent of the city’s population through its breakfast program and food hamper programs.

The money raised each year via the Salvation Army’s Kettle Drive and mail-in campaigns provides a lot of the funding the group needs to provide its services to the community.

But this year, Major Robin Borrows of the Salvation Army says the campaign isn’t quite where it usually is at this time.

“At this point we have raised about 30 percent of what we need for our Christmas Cheer campaign,” Borrows says. “If we look at this from the first kettle we put out in November to now, in other years we were much closer to our target by now.”

The goal for the campaign is $82,000, which, along with funds from the Salvation Army’s thrift store, provide much of the organization’s operational budget for the year – amounting to about $40 per person served per month.

That added to the fact that donations are slower than usual this year is cause for concern, Borrows says.

“It does concern us a bit, because we rely on the community,” he says. “Everything that’s raised in Nelson goes to work in Nelson. The funds stay here to help 10 percent of our population.

“We need to make our target. But I’m confident we will, because I know Nelsonites. They will pitch and will help. But we need to do it this month.”

If you want to donate to the Salvation Army, Borrows says there are many ways to do so. Simply put some money in a kettle when you see it, mail in a cheque, or drop off money at the thrift store at 601 Vernon Street. If you would like a tax receipt for your donation, don’t forget to include your name and address.  

Food Cupboard says donation season just getting off the ground

Nelson Food Cupboard Financial Director, Marya Skrypiczajko, says donation season is really just getting off the ground for them, and has started with a bang due to some generous donations form various community members.

The Nelson Food Cupboard doesn’t keep track of fundraising on an ongoing basis, but Skrypiczajko says raising funds at this time of year is extremely important for the organization.

“It’s important because in addition to the services we usually provide our customers through our food bank, we also give out 175 holiday hampers that help an additional 500 people,” Skrypiczajko says.

“The donations we receive at this time of year go towards creating large, bountiful, healthy holiday hampers – as well as enabling us to stock our food cupboard for the rest of the winter.”

Skrypiczajko notes that Nelson Food Cupboard serves 1,300 customers per month year-round, with 20 percent being children and 15 percent seniors.

She adds that about a quarter of the people the organization serves are actually employed but don’t have enough to make ends meet.  

There are a variety of ways to donate financially to the Nelson Food Cupboard, visit this link to discover how you can contribute.

If you would like to donate food, Skrypiczajko encourages people to donate healthy food, as that is a major part of the Food Cupboard’s mandate.

Visit this link to get more details about donating food.

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