As December approaches, many local companies are doing what they can to ensure the most vulnerable amongst us have the necessities going into the holiday season, which is why GT Hiring Solutions is reaching out to the community to help them raise items for the Salvation Army’s food bank.
“Poverty reduction is a big piece of what we do,” said Nicole Read, service delivery manager at GT Hiring Solutions, which operates the Work BC offices locally. “Getting people back to work to improve income levels is (important, but) food security is also important.”
With that thought in mind, Read says the company is putting out the call to all of Chilliwack: “Anything (you) have to donate, we’ll pick up and donate to the Salvation Army Food Bank.”
Each month, more than 3,800 people use the Salvation Army Community Food Bank, Soup Kitchen and shelter. Of that number, 30 per cent are children under the age of 18 years.
So with those thousands of people in mind, GT Hiring Solutions set a goal of raising at least “500 items (because that) seems like a realistic number,” continued Read, who added the company has high hopes for this year’s event.
“We typically do annual office Christmas hampers, but this year we decided to do the food drive instead.”
And drive they will: anyone within the city proper who has an item to donate to the Salvation Army’s food bank is welcome to contact Nicole Read via email at n.read@gthiringsolutions.ca, and she will arrange pick up between Monday, Nov. 26, to Friday, Nov. 30, so the food bank has the donations at the start of December.
However, Read also adds the public is more than welcome to drop off items in the food bin at the Work BC office (46151 Yale Rd.), which is just past 5 Corners.
Top Thirty Food Items for Chilliwack Community Food Bank
- Tuna
- Chunky Soup
- Tin lunches
- Misc. Soup (tomato, mushroom, other condensed soups)
- Peanut butter and jam
- Tinned meats
- Canned Vegetables
- Pasta
- Kids Snacks
- Boxed puddings/jellos
- Cake mixes
- Canned Fruit
- Juice Boxes
- Soda pop/water
- Kraft Dinner
- Pork and beans
- Rice
- Canned milk
- Ramen noodles
- Canned tomatoes (stewed, sauce, paste)
- Meal helpers
- Oatmeal
- Cereal
- Tea/coffee/hot chocolate
- Cookies/crackers
- Toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shaving cream, etc.)
- Paper products(toilet paper, paper towels)
- Baby food/formula
- Diapers
- Small pop items, single oatmeal packs, fruit cups, mini meals
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