Vancouver Food Bank counting on the spirit of giving
Posted November 28, 2012 9:16 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Santa is coming to town this Sunday and so is a whole lot of goodwill toward the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.
The Rogers Santa Claus Parade is the food bank’s biggest event of the year as the the people of Metro Vancouver get into the spirit of giving.
“From a donation perspective it’s a great opportunity to connect with so many people. It’s so important,” says Aart Schuurman Hess, CEO of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.
Schuurman Hess says even just a loonie out of your pocket can make a big difference for the many who rely on the food bank, especially this time of year. “If you donate one dollar, we have the ability to convert that into three dollars of food.”
With an expected 300-thousand people lining the parade route, many also bringing non-perishable food items to donate, the shelves can fill up fast at the food bank and Schuurman Hess says they need it. “It has gotten worse actually. We’ve seen an increase of 10 per cent compared to last year so we’re now serving 27,000 individuals on a weekly basis — it’s families, it includes children, 26 per cent are children, and 12 per cent are seniors.”
If you can’t make it to the Rogers Santa Claus Parade, which starts at 1p.m. Sunday in downtown Vancouver, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society also accepts donations online , at many supermarkets, and at their office at 1150 Raymur Avenue in Vancouver (where you’ll also get a free Christmas cookie in thanks).
“There are so many great people in Vancouver. Thank you so much,” says Schuurman Hess.
