Challenged to increase contributions to 1,000 lbs.

WELLINGTON – Sept. 28, 2016 – Residents of the Evangeline and surrounding areas will have the opportunity, from Oct. 11-21, to help their less fortunate neighbours by contributing non-perishable foods to a community food drive.

This year, organizers of the drive are strongly encouraging people to increase the volume of food donations to the cause. A few years back, the community gave 1,500 pounds of food to the Summerside Salvation Army Food Bank. Last year, for some unknown reason, the volume plummeted to 850 pounds.

The community is therefore being challenged to contribute 1,000 pounds to this year’s drive, organized once again on the occasion of Co-op and Small Business Week.

Anytime from Oct. 11-21, people from the community are invited to drop off non-perishable foods to Wellington Co-op or to Evangeline-Central Credit Union during their regular hours of operation. Each person who gives a food donation will get a ballot towards a draw for a $100 gift card from the Wellington Co-op.

A food collection contest is also being organized at Evangeline School; the class gathering the greatest volume of food will win a $100 prize. Families with school-aged children can therefore make their contributions through the school.

Organizers of an Acadian Words Bingo at Le Chez-nous community care centre in Wellington, Thursday, Oct. 20, will also accept donations to the cause.

The benefit casino for the food bank, Saturday, Oct. 15, at Wellington Legion, will take in monetary donations only.

According to the managers of the food bank (which serves the entire East Prince region), the need for food contributions is being felt more and more each year, especially as the fall and winter months approach. Hard economic and social condition means that a growing number of Islanders simply don’t make enough money to feed their family. They therefore have no other choice but to turn to social assistance agencies.

Wanting to help turn this situation around, several partners from the co-operative sector in the Evangeline area have jointly decided to organize this drive again this year. They are offering a few prizes to incite people to contribute to the cause.

Food donation bags, provided by Farm Credit Canada, are available to be picked up at the co-op or credit union for those who would like to use them.

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CUTLINE: The annual food drive for the Summerside Salvation Army Food Bank will take place this year Oct. 11-21 in the Evangeline and surrounding regions. Officially launching the drive are, from left, Diane McInnis from Évangéline-Central Credit Union, Angèle Arsenault from the Conseil de développement cooperative and Rick Arsenault from Wellington Co-op.

 

For more information:

Angèle Arsenault
Organizing Committee member
(902) 854-2951