Organizers for the annual spring Helping Hands Food Drive are hoping to match the fall drive in collecting non-perishable food items and cash donations for the Cochrane Activettes Food Bank this April 12.
The fall drive broke records, producing a haul of around 30,000 pounds of food; the average is around 24,000 pounds.
“The number of hampers is up 40 per cent since this time last year,” said Terrance Haxton, food drive facilitator and coordinator of Helping Hands — a local, interfaith volunteer organization.
“There is no question that this drive couldn’t come at a better time…we ask people to have any food donations on their doorsteps by 10 a.m. on that Saturday.”
Haxton said the Activettes have also indicated to him that cash donations are significantly down; these donations are used to top up food items that the Activettes run out of for their hampers, as well as for fresh produce and proteins.
He also emphasized that the food bank is looking for donations that are high in protein — canned meats, fish and peanut butter.
Although Cochranites have been more diligent about checking dates on their donations, Haxton stressed that stale-dated items not only can’t be used, but their disposal takes away from volunteer resources.
Helping Hands was started in 2007 by Haxton and Cochrane Family Community and Support Services (FCSS).
“I set it up under the auspices of FCSS, as a joint project,” he explained. “We networked with the faith community with the express purpose of tapping into the volunteer potential within the churches.”
Haxton said Helping Hands is anxiously awaiting their official societal status and are anticipating this within the next several weeks. Upon this, he said the society would set up a board of directors and be able to apply for grants, therefore enabling them to expand and grow.
He said that while he would remain a volunteer and board member for the foreseeable future, he is hoping new faces will get in touch with him and come on board.
The two Cochrane food drives are the major events facilitated by Helping Hands, but the volunteer organization also seeks to help individuals in need — be it a senior in need of assistance or a family in need of a helping hand.
“If every household gave two or three items, we wouldn’t have room in the food bank,” laughed Haxton, adding that around one third of Cochranites donate and he would love to see this jump up to half the population.
The Helping Hands Food Drive collects food donations from all Cochrane neighborhoods, including the newer communities of Heartland, Monterra, Fireside, River Heights and Sunset.
Bearspaw and Lochend residents are encouraged to drop their donations off at RockPointe Church; those unable to leave items on their doorsteps can drop off at the bins at No Frills and Safeway.
Some 500 volunteers pitch in to make the fall and spring food drives possible, including members of all Cochrane and area churches, Cochrane Starbucks, the Riverview Community Association and the Springbank Air Cadets.
For info on the food drive, contact FCSS at 403-851-2250.
