Mealshare has partnered with A&W Canada, bringing its food support program to Golden.
The program will provide meals for a youth in need in the community, as well as will provide financial support to the Golden Food Bank, with an option to add a $1 donation for every meal purchased at A&W’s Golden location.
According to Judith Fernandez, manager of the Golden Food Bank, the steady income will provide some much-needed financial stability with a reliable stream of income for the food bank, which has had a busy year due to COVID-19.
“Having income that is reliable is important so we can organize more and purchase the food we need and plan ahead,” said Fernandez.
“We received quite a few donations over Christmas, but then it really drops off after so a consistent program like this really allows us to plan better.”
“Having regular donations is a huge help as we said, because then we can be consistent and sustainable,” added Rachel Gamble, manager of special projects and fund development at the food bank.
In addition to the Mealshare program, the food bank is also rolling out a program to encourage people in the community to contribute monthly to the food bank, with an assortment of patches available for those who donate 25 dollars or more.
There will be four patches available and are made from recyclable materials, according to Gamble.
“We’re hoping they can help show a little pride in your community and supporting local charities,” said Gamble.
Financial donations can go a long way for the food bank, who can use that money to buy wholesale items that are much needed.
According the Fernandez, typically the food bank is need for non-perishable items such as pasta cause, canned veggies and beans and canned fruits. Cash donations can be the most helpful, as well as volunteer hours.
Fernandez says the food bank is currently looking for volunteers to help deliver weekly grocery hampers to those who are quarantined or are not able to get up and access the food bank physically.
Gamble says the best thing to do is reach out to the food bank to see what they need and how you can help.
“It’s really awesome when people call to ask what we need, because we can give them some insight on what we do behind the scenes,” said Gamble.
“It helps that they see where their donations are doing and opens the door for more conversations when people are curious about what we’re up to.”
The food Bank will also be launching a newsletter in the coming weeks, in order to keep the community updated on their plans and needs.
