No contact Thanksgiving food drive planned for Okanagan

Sep 17, 2021 | 10:45 AM Pete McIntyre

An annual tradition to help the less fortunate in the Okanagan will go ahead this month, but with some changes to make it safer with the ongoing pandemic.

Organizers say the 11th annual Thanksgiving Food Drive will begin Monday, September 20 in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, Salmon Arm, Merritt, Lake Country, Summerland, and many other communities in the Okanagan.

“As there continues to be a tremendous need for food in our Okanagan Food Banks, we are planning to go ahead with the food drive this September as has been done in previous years, while maintaining a COVID-19 safety plan for a contactless food drive,” said Gordon Oliver, Director of Communication with the Food Drive.

The following are ways residents can help out the event:

1. In order to avoid spreading the virus in the community, the BC Thanksgiving Food Drive volunteers will conduct a No-Contact Food Drive.Volunteers will drop off a paper bag printed with instructions for donations to the Community Food Bank from Monday to Friday, Sept. 20-24 on porches.
People are asked to donate non-perishable food items by placing your food donations into the bag provided. Place the filled bag on your porch before 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 25. Volunteers will pick up your donation and deliver it to the food bank on Saturday, September 25.
2. If you are able to do so, people are asked to donate money to the BC Thanksgiving Food Drive at: https://cofoodbank.com/donate/ or at; http://www.bctfooddrive.org/donate/ (you can select which community food bank you wish your donation to support)
3. You can donate food or money at any Save-On Foods store in the Okanagan.

“With our 3:1 buying power we can stretch a $10 donation so much farther than the average person, and in doing so, are able to provide so many more households facing food insecurity with a Thanksgiving dinner” said Trevor Moss, CEO for the Central Okanagan Food Bank.

“We are so very happy to help the community,” said David Burgess, Director of the BC Thanksgiving Food Drive in the Okanagan. “This initiative brings our community together, everyone can participate and it makes our community a better place to live. Helping those in need brings joy to my heart and I want as many people as possible to share that joy.”

For more information on the food drive, click here.