In order to help feed low-income families, Elmira’s banks will come together to fill someone else’s coffers.
Earlier this summer the Woolwich Community Services food bank experienced a severe dry spell in donations. With a steep increase in the number of families in need, shelves quickly became bare. Now, through donations to WCS, staff and branch managers hope to help restock shelves and prevent future shortages.
“This is not good, this is a huge need in this community and we need to support it as much as we can,” said Darcy Krahn, manager of the Royal Bank in Elmira, said of the impetus for the project.
Krahn began the planning the food drive initiative after hearing about the food shortage, contacting his counterparts in the area: TD Canada Trust manager Rick Charnuski, Bank of Montreal (BMO) manager Kathy Duncan and Mennonite Credit and Savings Union manager Brad Martin.
Together the four want to start a string of donations from customers and the public.
“I know that we as the banks here in town, the majority of the citizens in town as well as the outside community, they will come in through our doors quite regularly, so why can’t we be an opportunity to be a drop-off center for the food bank? Our staff can contribute our own resources here as well,” Krahn said.
The goal for the drive is to collect all donations by Oct. 5, in time for Thanksgiving, when both donations and demand for food increase.
The banks are not the only ones motivated to donate. WCS executive director Don Harloff said the community has come together in support of the food bank since the initial shortage.
“We did extremely well in our call a couple of weeks back. We got a very generous donation from one person in the community, a business in the community, and we were able to go out and purchase a large amount of food. Our food bank is looking at this point in time as best as it’s ever been – we couldn’t be happier with that,” he said.
Krahn emphasized that he and the three other managers want to avoid making the drive into a competition – it’s about working together rahter than a contest. In that light, the initiative will focus on helping to prevent another shortage during and after upcoming holidays.
“We know Thanksgiving … it’s a huge time of need. I know that the food banks give out a lot of food at that time of year and if that’s the case and they are giving out a lot of food they are going to need something to replenish their shelves.”
Branches will start accepting cash or food donations on Sept. 24.
Visitors to the various branches will be able to leave their donations with bank staff at Elmira’s RBC branch at 6 Church St., the BMO branch at 53 Arthur St., TD Canada Trust branch at 41 Arthur St. and the Mennonite Credit and Savings Union at 25 Hampton St.
