Evangeline residents urged to contribute to annual food drive

Challenged to collect more than 1,000 lbs.

collecte de nourriture lowresWELLINGTON – Sept. 24, 2014 – Again this year, residents of the Evangeline and surrounding areas will have the opportunity, from Oct. 14-24, to help their less fortunate neighbours by contributing non-perishable foods to a local food drive.

Organized on the occasion of the Co-op and Small Business Weeks, this drive will seek to help fill the shelves of the Salvation Army Food Bank in Summerside. This organization of course serves clients from all over East Prince, which includes the Evangeline area.

According to bank management, the need for food contributions is being felt more and more each year, especially as the fall and winter months approach. Hard economic and social conditions, complicated by ever-tightening employment insurance rules means that a growing number of Islanders simply don’t make enough money to feed their family. They therefore have no other choice but to turn to social assistance agencies.

Wanting to help avert this situation, several partners from the Co-operative and entrepreneurial sector in the Evangeline area have jointly decided to organize this drive again this year. They are offering a few prizes to incite people to contribute to the cause.

Anytime from Oct. 14-24, people from the community are therefore invited to drop off non-perishable foods to Wellington Co-op or at Evangeline-Central Credit Union. Each person who gives a food donation will get a ballot towards a draw for a $100 gift certificate from the Wellington Co-op. Food donation bags, provided by Farm Credit Canada, are available to be picked up at all drop-off locations.

“Last year, our region gathered about 1,000 pounds of food. This year, we’re challenging our community to surpass this volume,” says Angèle Arsenault, president of the Conseil de développement coopératif.

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CUTLINE: The annual food drive for the Summerside Salvation Army Food Bank will take place this year Oct. 14-24 in the Evangeline and surrounding regions. Officially launching the drive are, from left, Diane McInnis from Évangéline-Central Credit Union, Angèle Arsenault from the Conseil de développement cooperative and Rick Arsenault from Wellington Co-op.

For more information:

Angèle Arsenault
President
Conseil de développeent coopératif
(902) 854-2951