The local Courtenay congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is joining a British Columbia-wide food drive to help those in need.
The BC Thanksgiving Food Drive will involve about 3,000 volunteers around the province with the actual collection being held this Saturday. Donation bags will be dropped off to as many homes as possible up to a week earlier.
The effort is non-denominational and several other churches, corporate sponsors, and volunteers from the general public will be joining in the big food drive, which is designed to become an annual event says Bishop Brian Jones of the Courtenay congregation.
“This is an amazing reaching out among caring people all over our province and we are excited to have others join us so willingly,” adds Jones. “We have seen through the summer just how desperately the food banks need help, so the aim is to bolster their shelves in time to help people for Thanksgiving.”
The BC Thanksgiving Food Drive is being organized in conjunction with Food Banks British Columbia and conforms to the association’s code of ethics. No cash donations will be solicited door-to-door.
In Courtenay, the food drive proceeds will be delivered to the Comox Valley Food Bank.
As well as in Courtenay, the food drive on Vancouver Island will involve Latter-day Saint congregations in Duncan, Nanaimo, Qualicum, Port Alberni, Campbell River, Port McNeill and also Powell River, which is part of the church’s Nanaimo BC Stake (area organization for the mid and north Island region). The Victoria BC Stake and its congregations are also participating in the capital city region.
Individual or community group volunteers are welcome and duties range from collecting to sorting foodstuffs. If you want to help, call Courtenay organizer Glenda Tyskerud at 250-334-8580.
For further information on the B.C.-wide food drive, check the BCTFD website at www.bctfooddrive.org.
— Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints