Third Annual 'Winter is Coming' Food Drive Launched to Aid Food Insecurity in Peterborough County
/The third annual ‘Winter is Coming Food Drive’ has been launched by Kawartha Food Share (KFS) and Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith to aid in food insecurity for Peterborough County announced on Thursday.
Non-perishable goods and monetary donations are being collected on five separate dates in different locations to aid their respective townships.
“These food drives are always such a great way for community members living in the county,” said Ashlee Aitken, KFS general manager. “The rising cost of food has made this a very difficult year for KFS, our member agencies and of course, food insecure community members.”
Aitken says the food bank aided 7,000-8,000 people prior to the pandemic that began in March 2020. That number rose to 9,000 during the winter months. During the pandemic, demand would increase by 20 per cent to 12,000 people.
Smith is collecting at most of the listed dates and aided the campaign in its last two years. The grand total has raised almost $40,000 worth of cash and food donations in November 2020.
“I was a member of the Kinsmen Club and our motto was to 'serve the community's greatest needs' and I've always taken that to heart,” explained Smith. “I now have an opportunity where people recognize my name more than they did say 10 years ago with different groups. I have that opportunity to use my name and do good for my community.”
The following is a listed schedule of the ‘Winter is Coming’ campaign:
Havelock Foodland collecting for Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Food Bank from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 1
Lakefield Giant Tiger collecting for Lakefield Community Food Bank from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 20
John’s Your Independent Grocer collecting for Bridgenorth Food Bank from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 28
Buckhorn Foodland collecting for Rural Outreach from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 29
Morello’s Independent Gorce collecting for North Kawartha Food Bank from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 5*
