Local food bank preps for annual drive

By Lyndsie Baxter

As the holidays approach, Belleville’s largest food bank is gearing up for their 20^th annual local food drive.

The Gleaner’s food bank is preparing for their largest food intake of the year. Gleaner’s Director of Operations Susanne Quinlan said donations have increased and the more food donated, the less the food bank has to spend.

“Our donations have been up this year. Last year we spent $75,000 buying food, in the same time frame this year we spent $45,000 spending food.”

Fifty per cent of people who use the food bank use assistant or are on Ontario Works. Quinlan said the other percentages belong to the working class who can’t always make ends meet.

“The other remaining 50 per cent are people that are working class poor; they very much struggle paying their rent or paying their mortgage.

The annual food drive is when the bank receives most of its food. Making sure the boxes are full all depends on those donations. Quinlan said generous donations from local corporations have affected their hampers greatly.

“Right now because of Kellogg’s generous donation the large and medium hampers get a healthy cereal plus a sweet cereal. The kids are getting a treat this month.”

With all the donations rolling in, the food bank is still looking for volunteers. The food bank is a volunteer powered organization and with Oct. 14 quickly approaching, every hand helps.