The Penticton Salvation Army needs your donations, money or canned goods.
A column published by the National Post last week called for people to stop donating canned goods to food drives and instead consider giving money.
“Either is just absolutely wonderful. Money is always a help all year around, but also canned goods,” said Major Miriam Leslie, Penticton Salvation Army pastor. “I hate to use the pun apples and oranges but either one helps.”
While Leslie said cash doesn’t have an expiry date, straight donations of canned goods are still important.
“Certainly to have the canned goods already given really helps us because we are a small team of volunteers and staff. We can do the shopping, but if the shopping is done for us that is really appreciated,” said Leslie.
The Penticton food bank has also had the support of local farmers and orchardists who have donated cold storage space for fresh farm produce. Storage of canned goods and other non-perishable food items is not an issue for the Penticton food bank.
Volunteers have been busy putting all those donations to use creating hampers for those in need. Leslie expects up to 900 hampers could be handed out. A big boost to their effort came from the efforts of local students during their 10,000 Tonight campaign.
Read more: Food bank needs community to step up
“After 10,000 Tonight it has been so much better, it was a huge donation. I think it was 17,744 items and of course the food is starting to pour in from Christmas parties, gatherings and people donating on their own,” said Leslie.
The Salvation Army asks food that is donated to be nutritious. Items like canned fruit are some of their most sought after. On Tuesday the South Okanagan Boundary Labour Council donated 70 cases of canned salmon to the Penticton food bank, 20 cases to Summerland and 15 to each Oliver and Osoyoos.
