With the Quesnel Salvation Army seeing an increase in need this summer, a donation from Save-On-Foods couldn’t have come at a better time.
Save-On-Foods presented $2,110 to the Salvation Army July 4. The money was raised through the store’s Share It Forward program. With the program, whenever a customer purchased a Western Family product between June 13 and 19, 50 per cent of the price went to the Salvation Army. The local store also held a fundraising barbecue.
This was the second year the Quesnel store donated to the Salvation Army through the Share It Forward program, and store manager Paul Hartman says this year’s donation was $510 more than last year.
“Any chance we can [support the Salvation Army], we do,” he said. “We see the need in town, and just hearing from people who go to the food bank that shelves are low, there’s always a need.”
Salvation Army Major Randy Gatza says this $2,110 will provide a big boost to their food bank and soup kitchen because they buy items like fresh vegetables on a weekly basis.
“That will be a big help,” he said.
Gatza says around 125 people come into the soup kitchen each day right now.
“Right now, since late spring, demand on our soup kitchen has increased, and the soup kitchen increase is significant,” he said. “There’s been a significant increase this year compared to the last two summers.”
Gatza says for the food bank, they are always in need of basic staples, such as peanut butter, soup and beans.
“A lot of people who come to us don’t cook for themselves, so it has to be easy and quick,” he pointed out.
READ MORE: Quesnel Salvation Army grateful for donations during busy winter
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