The Hawkesbury Food Bank is looking for volunteers to raise funds and is in need of food items for Christmas baskets this year. Volunteers will need to produce 650 food baskets that will feed more than 400 households this season. The two food drive events are being held at Laurin Independent on the 24, 25 and 26 of November and at Walmart on the 7, 8, 9 and 10 of December.
The Hawkesbury Food Bank has between 300 and 400 people every month who require assistance and every year, the number of people requesting the help of the food bank grows. For Louise Côté, executive director of the food bank, fundraising and food drives are what keeps her meager operation afloat.
“Without private donations or our partnerships with major stores in town, we wouldn’t be able to offer the services we offer. My team is composed entirely by volunteers who come in everyday to welcome people and guide them through the process. The food bank is also dependent on volunteers who give their time. The town gives us $6,000 annually and we receive a lot of food. Every week we receive food from Laurin Independent, FreshCo, Walmart, Giant Tiger, Buns Master and La Mie Gourmande. Walmart also gives us clothes for kids,” said Côté.
There is a constant increase of clients at the Food Bank even though the town’s population has only grown by 0,26% in 2016. More and more residents are relying on the food bank. Not all clients of the food bank are unemployed and assisted by the government, some work full-time jobs at very low wage and still needs the food bank’s services.
“Since we operate only with volunteers, we can’t be open late like most grocery stores, so people working full-time that do need our services have a hard time coordinating their appointments with us between their work obligations,” added Côté.
Hawkesbury, according to Statistics Canada, has one of the highest number of families living below the poverty line. The Hawkesbury Food Bank plays an important role in guaranteeing a better quality of life to hundred of families in the community. Without the help of volunteers and businesses, hundreds of children would not be able to appreciate a Christmas dinner this holiday.
The Rotary Club of Hawkesbury alone donates hundreds of hams and the Poultry Farm Laviolette donates thousands of eggs every year. Anyone interested in giving back this holiday season by volunteering for the Hawkesbury Food Bank’s food drive can call Louise Côté at 613-636-0666.
