As the Nakoda Food Bank moves into full-tilt mode for the Christmas season, the board of directors are thrilled to be listed as one of the participating food banks with ‘Kraft Food For Families’ campaign.
“Nakoda Food Bank will be participating for the first time with Kraft Canada,” explained Belinda Simeon, acting manager for the Nakoda Food Bank.
“We do have a Facebook page and voters can go online and vote — for every vote we receive we get fifty cents to go toward the food bank...should we receive the most votes, we will receive an additional $5,000 from Kraft Canada.”
Simeon explained that this money would go toward forklift, transport costs and expanding the food bank facility.
The facility has long been busting at the seams, producing an average of 65 hampers a day in nearby Morley.
One of the biggest obstacles the food bank has faced is the inability to provide fresh produce or frozen meats for those in need, since the facility space is so limited, and an expansion would be required to bring in more fridges and freezers.
In addition to the social networking boost through the Kraft competition, the food bank staff and volunteers are aiming to boost their dollars for facility expansion through their penny drive campaign — a joint initiative that would benefit both the food bank and the Eagle’s Nest Family Shelter.
“We have put our penny containers everywhere in Cochrane, Morley and Eden Valley (the other Nakoda food bank location),” said Simeon, expressing gratitude to the various Cochrane and area businesses for stepping up and helping out this cold, fall season.
“Phantoms Music, the Activettes, Manachaban Middle School, Glenbow Elementary School, IGA, and a number of churches have helped raise awareness during this holiday season and the schools have done a food drive and collected over 300 pounds of non-perishable food items. Way to go Cochrane!” said Simeon.
Visit kraftfoodforfamilies.ca to learn more or to donate to the local First Nations food bank.
