Withdrawals are being made from the Bow Valley Food Bank.
In March, the food bank embarked on new partnerships with several community organizations, including Canmore Community Daycare and Canmore General Hospital.
Laura Croke, the food bank’s chairperson, said funding was being provided for lunches and snacks for the daycare.
“We’ve provided funding as per their request for their program,” said Croke. “So we’re just assisting with that program.”
According to the food bank, the funding feeds 90 children and 20 staff members at the daycare on a daily basis.
Cherri Hodgins, the daycare’s executive director, stated, “We aim to offer high quality, nutritional meal plans. We believe the vision of the Canmore food bank program and the Canmore Community Daycare go hand in hand.”
Similarly, the food bank is providing funding to the community’s health services, by funding tea parties and other special events for seniors at the auxiliary wing of the Canmore Hospital, said Nina Livesley, care manager at the hospital.
“We feel that this social time is important to our residents and the seniors within our community,” said Livesley, in a news release. “It’s not only social interaction, it’s also an opportunity for us to provide them with nutritional information.”
The food bank has also sponsored the Food For Learning and Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies programs.
“We’re just trying to reach out to the community and let people know the food bank is helping out in different ways in the community; with children, with seniors, with everybody,” said Croke. “It’s a community organization.
“These are great programs that people are running and the food bank is just trying to assist with providing funding with these different programs to ensure they continue to run. They’re very important programs in our community.”
The food bank is always in need of donations, with both food and money graciously accepted.
“Monetary donations are good, because then we can purchase the food we require that goes into the different hampers,” said Croke. “And also we can continue to assist with these different programs that are in the community.”
The food bank is also in need of volunteers. For more information on how to get involved, visit their website at www.bowvalleyfoodbank.ca
