The Mountain View Food Bank has 500 extra dollars in its kitty thanks to a donation from the Co-operators (Mountainview Insurance Ltd.).
On behalf of the company, financial advisor-owner Gisele Wilson presented the cheque to treasurer Harry Warne and other food bank volunteers on Dec. 29.
Wilson said this year, she and the firm decided to make the donation instead of sending out Christmas cards and gifts to clients.
“We send Christmas cards out to people – to certain clients in the past -- you know, one department here and there; some chocolates or bouquet or what have you. I just thought ‘where do you draw the line?'
“We're so fortunate for what we have so we wanted to do something that would benefit more and that's what we decided to do this year,” Wilson said.
Food bank treasurer Harry Warne says the organization is pleased to receive the money because it's really needed.
“Our demand has been up 20 to 25 per cent, so it's very valuable,” he says. “We have no paid staff; we work completely with volunteers, so 96 per cent of this goes to serving our clients.”
Warne says it's too early to say how much money the food bank received this year, but “it's been quite good. The community's a good supporter.”
Traditionally, the Mountain View Food Bank receives most of its donations in the run-up to Christmas.
Warne hopes people will donate at other times of the year as well – Easter and summer for example, because people access the food bank all year round.
