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Better Together Food Drive largest fundraiser for food bank

More than 400 volunteers helped collect more than 50,000 pounds of food last year during the Better Together Food Drive
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The Moose Jaw and District Food Bank is located on 305 Fairford Street West. Photo by Jason G. Antonio

Halloween night will be a treat for the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank, as hundreds of ghoulish volunteers will float throughout the community collecting bags of food during an annual fundraising campaign.

The 14th annual Better Together Food Drive runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31. Volunteers will meet at Hillcrest Church on Main Street at 5:15 p.m. They will then be sent out into the community with maps to collect bags from doorsteps. That food will then be delivered to the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds for sorting and eventual delivery.

The paper bags will be delivered a week before the collection date. Residents can fill those paper bags with non-perishable food items.

Anyone interested in volunteering can call the church at 306-692-5600, check out its Facebook page, or visit the church’s website.

Hillcrest has organized the food drive — with the support of sponsors — since the event’s inception in 2006, explained spokeswoman Karen MacNaughton. At that time, the food bank was receiving meagre donations and was seeing a growth in clientele. The organization was also unable to provide hampers with sufficient food content.

When Hillcrest started running the fundraiser, all the food was brought to the church for sorting and organizing for the first nine years. However, for about the last five years, all the bags have been taken to the exhibition grounds due to the success of the event and how much food has been collected.

“It’s far too big to do at Hillcrest Church anymore,” MacNaughton chuckled, pointing out 50,000 pounds of food and more than 400 volunteers simply can’t fit into the church’s gym. “We are very, very grateful to (the Exhibition Company) for the use of the space.”

The amount of food collected and the number of volunteers helping out has been consistent for about the last decade, MacNaughton said. The quantity of food picked up has not dropped below 50,000 pounds in the last nine years.

“Moose Jaw is a very generous city,” she remarked.

The food drive is huge in helping the food bank keep its hampers full throughout the year, said Deann Little, assistant manager at the food bank. Donations of food usually decrease during the summer since many people are away on vacation. However, the organization always attempts to keep the hampers as full as possible.

“This food drive, because it’s the largest one for us … the amount of volunteers is critical for that drive to run well,” she continued. This event also ensures the food bank doesn’t have to purchase as much food.

Hillcrest Church might organize the Better Together Food Drive, but on collection night, it is the volunteers and supporters who are the important players, echoed MacNaughton. The church is always thankful for their efforts.

“We look forward to another successful year,” she added.

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