Neighbours in need
What if it were your child?
by Karina Hunter
When was the last time you gave to the Neighbour to Neighbour Food Bank? Are you aware that there are people within our community who depend on help from the food bank to make ends meet?
In difficult economic times and with recent job losses in Manitouwadge, more people are depending on help from our local food bank. Unfortunately, with added need does not necessarily come added help and though Manitouwadge is well known as an incredibly generous community this is not always reflected on the shelves of our food bank. When costs of necessities, such as heat and hydro. increase where do people living on fixed incomes with budgets already stretched thin make ends meet? Sometime the only variable expense on a tight budget is food, thankfully Neighbour to Neighbour Food Bank is available to help those in need.
HOW You can help!
When shopping at Rousselle’s Valu-Mart if you see a great deal, share it with someone in need. There is a large bin in the front entrance of Rousselle’s when walking in, look to your right or when walking out, after the first door has opened, look directly ahead, you’ll see the bin there waiting for your donation.
Make a charitable donation. The Neighbour to Neighbour Food Bank is a registered non-profit organization and as such, will issue a receipt when receiving your donation that you can use when filling your tax return. Contact Carol Baye at 826-4326 to make your donation.
Sponsor a shelf at the food bank. For example, there is a friend of the food bank who sponsors the Kraft Dinner shelf, anytime stock is depleting a Food Bank Volunteer contacts the sponsor and they provide the required number of boxes to fill the shelf once again.
The food bank is a great charity to contribute to as a family. It is important to teach our children to be appreciative of what they have. Discussing that families in our community, even kids in their own school, may not always have enough to eat can make a big impression on children of any age. Sometimes realizing that there are kids there own age who are not as privileged as they are can help a picky child realize that steamed broccoli isn’t so bad when compared to having nothing at all. It is never too early to teach children to be considerate of others. Challenge a teen to skip lunch (on a day when they don’t have school or activities) ask them how they would feel if this was their reality every day. Talk about ways they can contribute, for older kids this may mean giving a small percentage of their allowance every month; for a younger child bringing the message home can be as simple as giving them the opportunity to choose what you will purchase to donate to the food bank and letting them add it to the bin on their own. Your kids will thank you for showing them how good it feels to help someone less fortunate.
The food bank also provides much more than food; toiletries, personal hygiene products and cleaning products are also appreciated and much in need. Ever wonder how you will ever use all those bath products that generous friends or relatives (or a well meaning spouse or child that didn’t quite get it right) gave for your birthday or special holiday? The food bank accepts nearly all types of bath products so they needn’t go to waste collecting dust; to help minimize clutter in your home, two weeks after any special occasion look through what you received once again and any products not yet opened most likely never will be, pack them up and donate them. Are you a teacher, coach or volunteer who has received, from appreciative parents & kids, more boxes of chocolates than your diet can handle? The food bank will take those too (please ensure they are unopened and not passed their best before date).
With so many ways to contribute is there any reason to wait?
Please Note: Please do not misinterpret this photo, Emeraude just posed for this photo to help make the message real, we are blessed with plenty of food to fill our tummies.
