Easter Community Food Drive off to a great start

Municipal Council and Staff with Fare Share Director, Duncan MacKinnon who

raised 1/2 tonne of food and over $200

This past Saturday, Municipal Council and Staff took in deliveries at the Port Hope Metro store raising nearly a 1/2 ton of food for Northumberland Fare Share Food Banks. The team “Tonne Haulers” headed up by Councillor, Mary Lou Ellis reported that they had a great reception from the community. She added, “my thanks to everyone who assisted yesterday in the Food Drive. Really a great bunch! We collected $210.10 in cash donations and we are awaiting the official weight of the food picked up by Fare Share manager Peter Hills”.

The most unusual donation of the day was a jar of pennies, which Peter Hills promptly turned into an $11 food voucher by pouring the pennies into the counting machine in the Metro. That voucher was immediately cashed in to purchase cans of tuna, currently on sale this week. Councilor'sJeff Lees and Deputy Mayor Jeff Gilmer also helped out. Ellis said that she wants everyone to know that they can still drop food off at any municipal building including the Recreation Centre, Jack Burger Complex, Town Hall the Economic Development office and others.

Fare Share wants people to know that they too can put a team together and enter the challenge and a chance to win dinner for 25 people to be hosted by the Carlyle Restaurant. Fare Share collects food and money throughout Cobourg and Port Hope and serve up to 2,600 per month. Demand has levelled off somewhat but food security across Northumberland remains in a fragile state.