A troop of parishioners from Greater Victoria churches are making it easy for people to donate to local food banks.
About 600 people will drop off plastic bags at 12,000 addresses around the region beginning Sept. 14. They hope residents will fill the bags with non-perishable foods to donate to food banks in the lead-up to Thanksgiving Day.
“It’s important that, in this time, we as members of the community do something really tangible to support our citizens and families,” said Deborah Nohr, who is helping organize the food drive.
This is the first such drive in Greater Victoria. It started two years ago on the Lower Mainland. This year, five congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints brought the initiative to the Island.
After placing food in the bags, residents can leave them at the front door before 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 17. Volunteers will pick up the bags, sort the food at a sorting station, then deliver the goods to the Mustard Seed Food Bank, the Sidney Lions Food Bank, the Salt Spring Island Community Services Food Bank and the Goldstream Food Bank Society.
Food banks around the region have seen especially low stocks. The Goldstream Food Bank told the ****News in a recent interview their food levels are at a 20-year low.
What to donate
• canned meat and fish
• canned fruit and vegetables
• peanut butter
• baby formula and baby food
• rice
• whole wheat pasta and sauce
• snack for kids’ lunches, such as pudding or Jell-O cups
