A wonderful giving season – still an opportunity to give

Cobourg Police Cram-A-Cruiser Food & Toy Drive Event - Christmas 2012

Christmas 2012 was THE best giving season on record for Northumberland Fare Share Food Banks. Community food drives alone yielded over 28,000 pounds in December, about double last year’s donations.

“We probably have enough food to see us through February”, Cobourg Fare Share manager, Lori Vout, shared at a recent Food Bank meeting. “I've never seen it (the bank) so full and we received some really good food - I am so pleased”, she continued.

Monetary donations to the bank were up as well. This giving is important for purchasing needed food and to take advantage of deals not open to the public. The food bank is contacted from time to time to take case/ skid lots of food at dramatic savings. These opportunities allow the banks to remain ahead in inventory. Fare Share has been working diligently to improve its inventory standing.

People are encouraged to give online through www.fareshare.ca/donate using any one of 4 methods to give. Donate at the BMO branch in either Cobourg or Port Hope; through CanadaHelps (access through the Fare Share website); through direct donation at one of the food banks or try using the innovative www.gift-it.com program - an online service that allows you to sell your household goods, have the proceeds of the sale directed to Fare Share and receive a tax receipt for doing so.

In spite of the good news, Fare Share has seen the numbers it serves escalate to over 2200 person visits per month. In addition we have all learned that regional funding of some social service programs has been reduced so the pressure to help those in need will be surely increase.

Northumberland Fare Share Food Banks derives its funding solely from the community it serves. That they are able to provide food relief for so many is testament to just how generous the Cobourg and Port Hope communities are. Special thanks to all those who make ‘Help to Feed our Neighbours’ a priority.