Quality Foods doesn’t care where the groceries come from, as long as they go to the Campbell River Food Bank.
For the seventh year, Quality Foods is sending out empty grocery bags in Black Press newspapers, (look for one in this edition of the Mirror), in the hopes that people will fill them up then drop them off at a Quality Foods store. Quality Foods will then drop the bags off at local food banks.
Campbell River Quality Foods store manager Cyriel DeBruyne said people don’t have to buy the groceries at Quality Foods to fill the bags.
“They get the bag in the newspaper, and then they can either come here and buy groceries to put in or they can take groceries from home to put in it,” explained DeBruyne, adding that it’s important to donate to the foodbank year-round, but especially at this time of year.
“Everybody wants to be able to enjoy Christmas time, but especially when it’s a colder time its harder on the people who are homeless and people who need to have food for themselves and their family.”
Campbell River Food Bank administrator George Minosky said these donations are “really beneficial” to the foodbank.
“It’s a heck of deal for the foodbank because when they come in, boy, it’s really something,” said Minosky.
According to Minosky, items that are always in demand at the foodbank are: mac and cheese, Mr. Noodles, canned vegetables like corn and beans and canned tuna. While the Food Bank is happy to receive anything non-perishable, Minosky said it has a large stockpile of baby diapers right now, so doesn’t need them. He also mentioned that the Willow Point Lions Club donates baby food, so this item is also well stocked at the Food Bank.
The bags of food can be dropped off in a bin in the store front of Quality Foods anytime between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. seven days a week until Christmas. Or people can drop bags off at the Food Bank themselves instead if preferred.
Quality Foods also has a buy-a-bag program where people can come into the store and buy bags of food in differing denominations for the foodbank.
Collecting foodbank donations “means a huge amount, because it’s one way for Quality Foods to give back to the community,” said Debruyne. “We’re good supporters of the foodbank year-round but especially at Christmas time.”