Your Local Food Bank Needs YOU!

The local Food Bank left a paper bag on our door step the other day. The idea is that we go through our pantry and fill it with cans of protein food like beans, tuna or salmon, boxes of pasta, or whatever we can spare. In a week or so, we leave the full bag on our doorstep – and someone will be by to pick it up.

Great program with great volunteers! But even if that´s not happening where you live, it’s still a great idea to start stocking food for others as we think of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Actually, it’s just a great idea. I did a little research on our local Food Bank, and I learned some pretty key facts:

• Each month, about 14,000 people receive hampers from the Food Bank or one of its affiliate organizations
• More than 1,000 events are coordinated annually to raise foods, funds and awareness about the Food Bank and its programs
• About 40% of the Food Bank’s clients are children under the age of 18

That last statistic kind of hit me pretty hard. 

I’m really fortunate. I know that. I never have to worry about where my food comes from. My family makes sure the fridge is full of nutritious, healthy foods. And, my Grandparents are canola producers, so they’ve always helped us understand the value of food. 

But not everyone is as lucky.

I’m too young to work at the Food Bank Warehouse, but there are some ways I can help create awareness:

1. Encourage my parents to fill that paper bag.
2. Encourage my school to participate in activities like ´fill the bus´ or to have a food drive as part of some other school event. 
3. Take a look around my school and pay attention if there are students whose families might benefit from some extra food options. Take my bottle money and donate it to the Food Bank each month. (I don’t really need that extra comic book. Or maybe I can miss the movies once a month.)
4. Ask Mom to shop for a little extra each month and donate to the hampers in the grocery stores. Take advantage of 2 for 1 deals and donate the second one!

Sometimes, I forget that not everyone is as lucky as me. The Food Bank and families in our communities need us – not just at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but throughout the year.

Gotta Jet! 

- Chase Superman Duffy