By Dawn McCormick
Spring is here! The fields are starting to green up and there are lots of new little babies everywhere.
Time to start thinking about “growing a row” for the food bank. “Grow a Row” is a program where an individual or a family signs up and receives a packet of seeds. They plant the seeds in their garden and then harvest the produce and bring it to the food bank, or they can call the food bank to have the produce picked up.
The food bank will have the following seed packets available:
Tomatoes Carrots Green Beans
Cabbage Radishes Onions
Squash Cucumbers Beets
Corn Potatoes Bell Peppers
Food bank members will be at the Rural Expo and Trade Show from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on April 26 and 27, at the North Thompson Agriplex, as well as attending the Festival of Wellness on May 1, at Barriere Elementary School in the gymnasium, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon to hand out seed packets for those who are willing to dedicate a row in their garden to the food bank. We will also be signing folks up to be Barriere Food Bank members. Membership is $2 a year. In addition, we will have a box for food donations.
If anyone is interested in our “Grow a Row” program but is unable to attend either of the above events, please contact Dawn McCormick at 250-672-5699.
The Barriere Food Bank now has internet! Our e-mail address is barrierefoodbank@xplornet.com. Our e-mails are checked daily.
We are looking for someone to take over the fundraising position at the food bank. It’s actually very easy, and a lot of fun. Many of our fundraising activities are done on an annual basis and we have volunteers who will help with the events. The fundraising person also takes care of our donation boxes that are placed around town. If you are interested in volunteering for this position, please e-mail us, or call the food bank at 250-672-0029.
The food bank not only provides food in the hampers, but we also provide personal care items like shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, men’s razors, and shaving cream. We are in need of all these items.
One of the items we would also like to provide for in the hampers is jelly or jam. We were able to provide jam in the Christmas hampers and it was a big hit with our clients. Many of our clients have children who love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We cannot give out home-made jellies or jams – they must come from a store.
You can bring donations to the food bank located at 4748 Gilbert Road (in the Barriere Industrial Park), or leave the items in the food donation box at AG Foods.
Our next board meeting is on April 9, at 12:30 p.m. at the food bank (address above). Anyone interested is welcome and encouraged to attend.
The food bank is open every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. If anyone cannot make it to the food bank during that time, we have volunteers who will deliver hampers.
If you need a hamper delivered, please call or e-mail the food bank before 10 a.m. on Wednesday to place your hamper order. Our phone number is 250-672-0029, and our e-mail is barrierefoodbank@xplornt.com