What do art and toilet paper have to do with each other?
This month the Ladysmith and District Arts Council is looking for as much toilet paper as they can raise to help Ladysmith’s Food Bank clients.
This will be the second year of the Arts Council’s “Love” themed TP raiser.
“This year we are taking the program into a full month long fundraiser, but as we did last year it’s not dollars we’re after, it’s TP," said Kathy Holmes, executive director, of the Council. "When folks think of a food bank they usually think of non-perishable food or monetary donations, and that is fantastic, but that’s not all they need. Toilet paper is an essential of everyone’s life and when the donations come into the Ladysmith Food Bank, there is no TP. This year we are working along with the students at Ladysmith Secondary School and they are doing a series of in-house events to raise funds to purchase TP to be given to the Food Bank.”
Eliina Alle, co-ordinator of the Ladysmith Food Bank said they are grateful for all donations from the community.
“But everyday items such as toilet paper aren’t really thought about,” Alle said. “We won’t turn down any donations and will always need food, but we are hoping that during this special month, folks will understand the need and we can get more rolls of toilet paper.”
February is known as the month of “love” and as Holmes said “Love has many forms and our arts group have a distinct focus to aid the Food Bank with specific items that are badly needed.”
Unopened packages of toilet paper can be dropped off at the local food bank, the Ladysmith Art Gallery at 32 High St., the downtown Pharmasave at 441 First Ave. and also Ladysmith Secondary School on Sixth Avenue. The project will run until the end of February.
The 2024 event raised 1,500 rolls of TP and Alle said “we usually spend between $800 and $1,000 a month on TP and we only give out one roll per client per week, so that shows the demand. With the ‘love’ project we were able to use those funds to purchase food products and locally, the stores give us huge breaks on cost, so it’s really a big financial boost for the food bank.”
The Ladysmith Food Bank supports 60 to 70 clients on Tuesdays and 80 or more clients on Wednesdays. The organization also has an appointment only function on Thursdays which right now helps more than 40 clients.
“The Thursday session is by appointment only, as it limits the line-up and is very handy for mothers with young ones as they don’t have to wait in line,” Alle said.
Make an appointment for Thursday through https://calendy.com/ladysmithfoodbank
“Locally, Country Grocer and Save-On-Foods and Pharmasave are offering great deals on toilet paper, and offering them till the end of the month," said Holmes. "They all supported us last year and are on board for this year.”
The Arts Council is also putting their ‘love’ into the project for each food bank client.
“We have valentine cookies and candy and each person going to the food bank will get a ’love’ gift," said Holmes. "Last year they were given little valentine cards."
Last January the Food Bank supported 1,283 clients and so far this January they are well over 700.
"Unfortunately it looks like it’s not going to improve,” said Alle.
