The Old Towne Kemptville BIA donated funds to the Salvation Army Food Bank last week, to help the organisation deal with a rising tide of demands on the service. The $390 came from fees the BIA collected from vendors at the market which took place during the Old Town Christmas Promenade.
Every dollar helps with this and other food banks these days. Although the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle campaign exceeded their target over Christmas, the needs that have to be met by the food bank have grown considerably over the past year. It has got to the point where the Salvation Army have hired someone to work at the food bank, as the workload was more than their volunteers could handle.
In these weeks of the new year, food banks across the region are dealing with sustained demand for their services, but often donations drop off after the Christmas campaign. The Salvation Army Food Bank in Kemptville is currently preparing 138 food baskets every week, such is the need in our community.
It should be noted that the food banks can also accept donations of items such as eggs, butter, cheese, milk, etc., and not just canned and dry goods. Cash donations are very useful, as it allows the food banks to buy items they know they will use. They can also buy in bulk, and save a great deal of money in the process.
It might be a good New Year’s Resolution to commit a regular monthly donation to one of our local food banks: Salvation Army, House of Lazarus, or Knights of Columbus.
