Donors in Thanksgiving spirit

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/10/2009 (5329 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEGGERS were in a Thanksgiving mood Saturday and the people helped by Winnipeg Harvest were the beneficiaries.

David Northcott, Harvest’s executive co-ordinator, said Winnipeggers brought in numerous brown grocery bags distributed in 122,000 copies of the Winnipeg Free Press as part of the foodbank’s Share Your Thanks drive.

"It went really well," Northcott said. "We did probably about as well as last year."

Northcott said Winnipeggers were also generous in donating food in return for a free turkey at the first "Tin for the Bin" food drive held with the help of BFI Canada.

Northcott said 100 turkeys were donated by BFI to be given to people who donated at least two cans of food to the cause. The event was held at BFI’s facility at 375 Oak Point Hwy.

"Most of the turkeys went — there were a few left — but that’s because the weather was so bad," he said.

"But that’s OK. People were really making great donations, with full bags of groceries, and the leftover turkeys have already been given to soup kitchens."

Meanwhile, Tory MP Rod Bruinooge brought in more than 180 kilograms of food to the food bank after going door to door with volunteers in his riding.

"He’s a regular donor and it is very nice of him," Northcott said.

All of the food will be especially welcome this year, as Harvest has seen its numbers of recipients increase.

Northcott said the number of students aged six to 18 needing the food bank went up about 24 per cent in the last year.

As well, Harvest has also seen the number of Employment Insurance recipients needing help go up by 84 per cent, those with no income go up 24 per cent, and the working poor by 17 per cent.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca