CANMORE – Lisa Downing earns a living from her delicious cookie dough, but she is making a difference in food security in the Bow Valley by handing out beets, carrots and potatoes.
Downing's business, Canmore-based In-Dey-Go, is bringing the Harvest Bundle fundraiser that has benefited Alberta food banks for the past four years to her home town.
"Who knew when I was mixing that dough 24 years ago, I would be handing out onions," Downing said with a laugh. "It is super cool how this has all evolved."
She started In-Dey-Go Fundraising when she moved to Canmore in the mid-1990s. The company offers Canadian school and non-profit groups fundraising opportunities with products like cookie dough, beef jerky and spring planters, for example.
The Harvest Bundle has already donated 14,000 kilograms of fresh produce to food banks in the province.
The bundle offers two options of fresh produce from Alberta-based Erdmann's Garden and Greenhouses. The farmhouse bundle and rainbow bundle provide carrots, potatoes and beets for $19. Add-ons like cabbage and brussel sprouts are also available.
Funds raised by In-Dey-Go through the sale of the fresh vegetables go to local food banks – including the Bow Valley Food Bank and Iyahrhe Nakoda Foodbank,
As well, fresh vegetables can also be donated directly to the food banks with the food bank bundle for $10.
Downing said it is a win-win-win-win for all involved. The fundraiser supports local food banks, provides people with farm direct produce, supports a local company and an Alberta farm.
"These are fresh veggies, not canned goods – they are out-of-the-dirt potatoes and carrots," she said. "It supports local farmers, supports local food banks and a local company."
The produce donated to the food banks will be packaged and delivered in bulk, she added.
While groups in Calgary and Edmonton are holding fundraisers for their local food banks, Downing said Bow Valley residents can go to the In-Dey-Go website to order locally and support food banks in the valley.
The company is well-known for its cookie and muffin dough fundraisers, but Downing said she wanted to offer something different that partnered with an Alberta farm.
After meeting the owner of Erdmann's from Westlock, Alta. previously, once the idea for the Harvest Bundle sprouted and took root, Downing was able to partner with the farm to offer the fundraiser.
She said it was important to her to not just support food banks financially, but also provide healthy, fresh and nutritious foods, not just canned or non-perishable items.
Downing said she hopes the local community gets engaged in the fundraiser and supports the local food banks at the same time.
"Canmore is a unique place and there are a lot of extreme athletes – are there a lot of extreme veggie eaters too?" she said. "It would be cool to see what our community can do for the food banks."
Click on this link to make orders online until Oct. 12, with contactless curbside pickup occurring later in the month. Go to In-Dey-Go's website for more details on the company's other fundraising programs.
