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The Ottawa Food Bank has extra urgency in its big Christmas donation drive on Dec. 2 because its Thanks For Giving appeal in October came up badly short.
Last year, the Thanksgiving drive brought in about 16,300 kilograms of food. This year’s total was only 8,400 kg — a decrease of nearly 50 per cent.
And no one knows what caused the drop. The food bank’s executive director, Michael Maidment, says traffic was down in grocery stores through that period and it reflected on donations. It’s possible that people were finally able to get out and enjoy good weather after a wet summer and this kept some of them away from shopping, he said. As well, Thanksgiving came early this year. But it’s all guesswork.
On top of that, summer’s wet weather cut production on the Food Bank’s own vegetable farm in Stittsville by about 25 per cent.
Now the Food Bank has to play catchup.
“Really the only way is to either make up those donations during the Christmas season or to buy food,” he said. When people make cash donations, the Food Bank can use those to buy food.
“We purchase food cheaper than a person who buys food in a grocery store and donates it to us could. We use those cash donations to fill in the gaps,” he said.
On Dec. 2 it will have the annual OC Transpo Loblaws Christmas Food Drive. OC Transpo buses and volunteers will pick up donated food and money at Loblaw’s, Superstores, No Frills and Your Independent Grocer stores around the city. Shoppers can pick up a paper bag at the entrance to the store, fill it and donate it on leaving the store.
The Christmas drive is the biggest of the year. Last year it brought in 38,000 kg of food and $32,316 in cash and grocery store gift cards.
tspears@postmedia.com
twitter.com/TomSpears1
查看原文...
Last year, the Thanksgiving drive brought in about 16,300 kilograms of food. This year’s total was only 8,400 kg — a decrease of nearly 50 per cent.
And no one knows what caused the drop. The food bank’s executive director, Michael Maidment, says traffic was down in grocery stores through that period and it reflected on donations. It’s possible that people were finally able to get out and enjoy good weather after a wet summer and this kept some of them away from shopping, he said. As well, Thanksgiving came early this year. But it’s all guesswork.
On top of that, summer’s wet weather cut production on the Food Bank’s own vegetable farm in Stittsville by about 25 per cent.
Now the Food Bank has to play catchup.
“Really the only way is to either make up those donations during the Christmas season or to buy food,” he said. When people make cash donations, the Food Bank can use those to buy food.
“We purchase food cheaper than a person who buys food in a grocery store and donates it to us could. We use those cash donations to fill in the gaps,” he said.
On Dec. 2 it will have the annual OC Transpo Loblaws Christmas Food Drive. OC Transpo buses and volunteers will pick up donated food and money at Loblaw’s, Superstores, No Frills and Your Independent Grocer stores around the city. Shoppers can pick up a paper bag at the entrance to the store, fill it and donate it on leaving the store.
The Christmas drive is the biggest of the year. Last year it brought in 38,000 kg of food and $32,316 in cash and grocery store gift cards.
tspears@postmedia.com
twitter.com/TomSpears1
查看原文...
