Food and cash were rollin’ in for the Ladysmith Food Bank this month — generous donations that will help the charity do good during the other 11 months of the year.
“We feed between 350 and 400 people per week,” said Jacquie Stewart, co-ordinator and treasurer/secretary of the Ladysmith Food Bank.
“We plan for 80 single people, 30 couples — which could be married or a single parent with one child — 30 families of three to five in each, and about 10 families with six-plus members.”
Food and cash needed to feed so many was boosted earlier this month during the ninth annual Cinnamon Bun Fun Run that saw nearly 500 runners and walkers complete a 10-km course enroute to raising $2,800 and more than two tons of food.
Stewart said the need in a town with a population that tickles the 8,000 mark is no greater during the holidays, but the donations gathered this time of year help sustain the year-long needs of the community.
That need requires 75 food bank volunteers who put in roughly 400 hours per month.
“We always need at this time of year, but people forget there’s a need all year.”
Not to say the boss of the food bank isn’t grateful for all the help.
“I like seeing what I see and that’s people helping out,” Stewart said.
“But I’d just like awareness to be all year ‘round — the food banks are all year ‘round, not just at Christmas and Thanksgiving.”
Ladysmith churches and community donations largely support the food bank, but more is always better than less, said Stewart.
The food bank, at 630 Second Ave., always needs non-perishable food items such as: canned tuna, salmon, ham, beans, peanut butter, jam, cereal, oats, soup, canned or cups of fruits and vegetables, pasta sauce, pasta, noodles, Side Kicks, Kraft Dinner, coffee and tea.
It’s also looking for donations of items like toilet paper, diapers, shampoo, etc.