Summerland has a reputation for being generous to those in need, and each year the community provides plenty of food and monetary donations to help the Summerland Food Bank and Resource Centre.
However, the majority of these donations come during the last six weeks of the year, even though the need at the food bank is constant throughout the year.
For this reason, the food bank has launched its Christmas in June campaign, as a way to encourage donations during the summer months.
The most immediate benefit of this campaign will be to provide assistance to the food bank for its ongoing work.
These donations allow the food bank to continue to help those who are in need, at any time of the year.
But perhaps more importantly, the Christmas in June campaign could also serve to remind the community that there are problems with poverty in Summerland — every day of the year.
While Summerland is an affluent community, 256 households with 506 people received assistance from the food bank in 2017. Of the people who received assistance, 139 were children.
Using Summerland’s last census figure of 11,615 residents and 4,938 occupied dwellings, this means roughly one in 20 households required some assistance from the food bank last year.
The food bank was formed more than 30 years ago, in 1984, and at the time it was intended as a temporary measure.
However, our food bank is now busier than ever before.
Our community needs its food bank, and the food bank needs the support of the community.
Summerland’s generosity shines each year during the festive season, and this generosity is to be applauded.
But the need remains throughout the year, not just in November and December.
