John Spencer got up early Saturday morning to put his blue box out at the end of his driveway for the annual Blue Box Food Drive.
It was filled with roughly 50 pounds of non-perishable food items, to be picked up by Miller Waste Systems and Miller Paving for delivery to the North Bay Food Bank.
” We’ve had a very fortunate life and we believe the food bank is an important resource for the community. So, whenever we hear there is a food drive, we make a special trip to stock up and donate food,” said Spencer.
Approximately 3,700 pounds of food was collected from across the city, an increase of roughly 400 pounds over last year's total.
Manager of the North Bay Food Bank, Amber Livingstone explains that every item donated is money saved, that can be used to purchase something else.
“Or it saves it for a later time in the year when things are really low. Notoriously for food banks, donations get really low throughout the summer. Hunger doesn’t take a vacation, so we do need people to remember us during those summer months as well. So, this will help us stretch what we have a little bit further creeping into summer,” said Livingstone.
“We let people know if they want to make a donation they can stop by during the week. It is trying to shift the mindset, that we’re here more than just the last six weeks of the year when people are in that giving season. We’re here all the other months of the year too, so it is okay to spread it around and help us out at other times.”
On a monthly average, the food bank serves anywhere from 800 to 1,000 people.
“For us it shows it has gone down over the past few years which is a positive thing, but there still are a lot of people using our services. And traditionally, I think a lot of people feel families are our biggest group, but really it is singles,” said Livingstone.
“And that can mean younger people, it can mean middle-aged people and it can mean seniors who are living on a fixed income.”
Other items that are helpful things like shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, feminine hygiene items, deodorant, bath soap, baby wipes, and diapers.
Assistant manager Lisa Hurtubise says the food drive will help restock shelves before the summer when donations are typically lower.
“We can always use pasta sauces, jam, peanut butter, coffee, tea, sugar, and a lot of baby food and large sized diapers, even pull-ups for some of the older toddlers,” said Hurtubise.
“Our hours to accept donations, including monetary donations on Monday and Tuesday are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday’s and Thursday’s from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday’s we’re here from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.”
The food bank is located at 1016 Fisher Street.
