The Central Okanagan Food Bank has officially launched its annual Christmas hamper distribution campaign.
The organization and its many volunteers are preparing to hand out an unprecedented amount of hampers this holiday season.
“People are hurting, they are desperate and they need the food bank,” said Trevor Moss, the food bank’s executive director.
So much so that the need this year is up by 30 per cent from the year prior.
“It’s a sobering reality, ” Moss said. “We were hoping it would plateau but the numbers keep going.”
This holiday season, the food bank will support around 4,500 families, which equates to some 12,000 people.
“The fastest growing population that’s coming to the food bank in the last six months is two individuals with two children, and they are working families,” Moss said.
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On Friday the food bank held an open house inviting in the media and dignitaries, including the city’s mayor, to get a glimpse into what’s involved in supporting that many people.
“We all know that the need increases around Christmas time, so to bring awareness, just to be here, to support the Central Okanagan Food Bank, and also to bring awareness to the communities, to support as much as possible the food bank as you can through this time of year,” said Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas.
The food bank is appealing to the community for more turkey and ham donations as well as monetary donations, which this month are being matched up to $125,000 by an anonymous donor.
“We’re hearing that consistently from people like they they don’t want to come to the food bank, but they know they have to, ” Moss said.
“What I want us to tell everyone in the community is you are making a huge impact. You’re touching children, seniors’ lives, and we just want to say thank you.”
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