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Food Bank Friday: Lake Country Food Bank continues to meet growing need

Click to play video: 'Food Bank Friday: Lake Country Food Bank keeps up with increasing demand'
Food Bank Friday: Lake Country Food Bank keeps up with increasing demand
WATCH: It's the first of our Food Bank Friday series as part of our Your Okanagan Calendar Campaign. The Lake Country Food Bank has had a busy year keeping up with growing demand and now they are preparing for the upcoming holiday season to make sure no one goes without. Sydney Morton has more – Nov 5, 2021

The Lake Country Food Bank has been busy as ever, as volunteers continue to keep up with growing demand and helping process food through their food recovery program.

“We know our client needs are up by 20 per cent and of course, now that C.E.R.B. has dialed down, many of those clients [who] did not come in while they were getting C.E.R.B. will be returning and we are getting those calls now,” said Joy Haxton Lake Country Food Bank executive director.

Not only does Haxton and her team work to support residents of Lake Country, they share their bounty with others,working with more than a dozen food banks and 35 community organizations — including soup kitchens — to make sure that no one goes without.

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“We could never do this if we didn’t have the incredible partners that we do have and our local stores have been so supportive and so helpful,” said Haxton.

“When we go to do our purchasing we really have a really good ability to purchase at the lower prices even though food prices have gone up about 25 per cent.”

The planning for Christmas hampers and Christmas gifts for the kids has already begun. As of now, 259 families have signed up for Christmas hampers which is 39 more than last year and again they will be partnering with the Lions Club of Lake Country to check off kids’ wishlists.

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“I would love to have volunteers to help with the gifts, I mean that is such a huge job and we have 131 kids this year which is up from last year and so then will sort we’ve asked what the kids are hoping for Christmas and we try to match that,” said Haxton.

You can help support local food banks like the Lake Country Food Bank by donating to our Global Okanagan Your Okanagan Calendar Campaign.

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You can donate in the following ways:

Online:

Through Food Banks BC.

By visiting this website, you will be directed to make a donation to the bank in your area.

Food Banks BC will send your tax receipt directly to your email once your donation is complete.

By mail:

Send a cheque made to the Food Bank of your choice to:

Global Okanagan, 342 Leon Ave., Kelowna, B.C., V1Y 6J2

In person:

At the Global Okanagan office at 342 Leon Ave., in Kelowna. We accept cash, cheque, credit or debit.

By phone:

Call our receptionist at 250-762-4535 or 1-888-762-4535 to pay by credit card.

When you donate online, by phone or by mail, we will mail your calendar(s) to you. Expect that they will take 10 to 14 days to arrive.

Please make a donation to the food bank of your choice in the Okanagan. Only donations of $30 and greater per calendar are eligible for a tax receipt.

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Tax receipts for donations sent by mail, phone or in person will be receipted by the food bank you donated to. They will not be sent until the end of the campaign, which is Dec. 31, 2021.

Calendars will be available while quantities last.

This fundraiser is a collaborative effort between Global Okanagan and their partners.

— with files from Doyle Potenteau

 

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