It takes a lot of food and funds to provide adequate shelter and resources for all the women and children who fill the Salmon Arm Women’s Emergency Shelter over the course of the year.
Once again the Shuswap Area Family Emergency (SAFE) Society is holding its annual Food and Dollar Drive.
Donations of food and funds are much needed.
“It has been so busy, we’re using a tremendous amount of food,” remarked Marilyn Kalke, resident co-ordinator at the shelter. “It’s going down really fast.”
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Jane Shirley, executive director of the SAFE Society, notes the shelter does its best to provide nutritional food, following Canada’s food guide.
She adds that simple is often best.
“Some people are under so much stress…, simple meals are easier to make. We don’t cook for them – it’s a communal cooking kitchen. That’s part of the life-skills component.”
Financial donations are also appreciated. If a mailing address is provided, the society can send a tax receipt.
Also, if case lots of cans (not single cans) are donated, the person donating can provide or mail in a receipt from the store where it was purchased and a tax receipt can be issued.
Financial donations can be mailed to SAFE Society, PO Box 1463, Salmon Arm, V1E 4P6 or call 250-832-9616 to arrange delivery.
Funds can also be donated online at CanadaHelps.org (https://www.canadahelps.org/en/). On the ‘Canada Helps’ website, search “Shuswap Area Family Emergency Society.”
Questions can also be emailed to safesociety@shaw.ca.
Both Kalke and Shirley emphasize that any food donated must not be past its expiration date.
Items needed include:
• peanut butter
• cereals
• crackers
• Kraft dinner
• rice
• oatmeal
• Ichiban noodles
• honey/jam/jelly
• Canned tomatoes/canned vegetables
• canned meats/canned fish
• soups
• juice boxes
• canned fruit
• spaghetti sauce/ tomato paste
• all baking items – flour, all sugar
• children’s lunch items
• coffee/herbal teas/iced tea/hot chocolate
• toilet paper
• paper towels
• Kleenex
• thin Maxi pads
• cleaning products
Shirley expresses gratitude for the community’s support.
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