INNISFAIL – A local church is stepping up to help fill the shelves at the Innisfail and District Food Bank.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is holding its annual Innisfail food drive on Sept. 28.
Yellow bags will be delivered to residences throughout the town during the week of Sept. 23. Local residents are asked to place non-perishable food items in the bags and place them outside their front doors for pickup during the morning of Sept. 28.
"The food drive is a huge undertaking with hundreds of volunteers working together for a really important cause," said Allison Strate, Red Deer Stake food drive coordinator. "It's a great opportunity to provide an important service and give back to the community.”
The lnnisfail food drive is part of a series of food drives organized by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints.
Church members in north Red Deer and in Edmonton are also running food drives on Sept. 28, noted Strate.
Summer is often a slow time for food banks which can result in a greater need and empty shelves in the fall, said Carol Sim, co-cordinator of the local food bank.
“We're using cash donations to purchase groceries at the moment," said Sim. "The food bank relies solely on donations. We don't receive government funding, so we're fortunate to live in a generous community that has supported the food bank and the people who use its services."
Last year a total of 2,130 people from lnnisfail and area used the food bank, said Sim, adding that the generosity of local residents also helped feed 639 children.
Last year's fall food drive brought in more than 3,800 pounds of food, she added, noting their appreciation for such donations.
"Without the generosity of the community, our food bank wouldn't operate and people would go hungry," said Sim. "People don't function well when they're hungry. The food bank plays an important role in helping people get by when times get tough,” she said. “It's no secret that the economy Isn’t very good right now."
Those who don’t receive a yellow bag at their residence and would still like to support the fall food drive, can donate directly to the food bank or drop off donations of non-perishable food items at Innisfail’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located on 55 Ave Crescent on the morning of Sept. 28.
Anyone wishing to assist as a volunteer with the food drive can contact Ben Ellingson, food drive coordinator for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at 403-304-9093.
