East Wellington Community Services (EWCS) has challenged the mayors of Erin and Guelph-Eramosa for Hunger Awareness Week.
Held Sept. 12 to 23, Hunger Awareness Week is as part of the larger Hunger Action Month in September.
The week is about raising awareness of hunger and asking Canadians to donate food items to their local food banks.
EWCS operates food banks in Erin and Rockwood and has challenged the mayors to the one-bag challenge.
“We’re encouraging community members as well as businesses, council members, anyone, to donate a bag to the food bank and then to challenge anyone that they know as well to do the same,” explained EWCS community and volunteer engagement manager Barb Carscadden.
“We’re trying to fill our food bank shelves, which are typically low at this time of year … if everyone can help a little bit, we’ll have our shelves filled.”
Carscadden explained EWCS needs a little bit of everything, like peanut butter and kids snacks. They can also take fruits and vegetables as well as anything that needs to be in a freezer.
EWCS helps approximately 250 unique clients per year at both locations.
Erin Mayor Allan Alls said it is important to support the food bank
“I think councillor (Matt) Sammut and I would both appreciate it if the whole town get behind this effort to raise food for people who are in need,” said Alls.
Guelph-Eramosa Mayor Chris White said the township appreciates the work done by EWCS.
“I would ask (the community) to continue that good-thought and help out the people in our community that are struggling or less fortunate right now,” White said.
Alls and White in turn have challenged their staff members to raise the most amount of food.
Community members can drop off bags of goods at 45 Main Street in Erin or 107 Harris Street in Rockwood. The RBC in Rockwood is also accepting donations.
Hunger facts
One in six households accessing food banks are working and still can’t make ends meet.
Food banks in small towns and rural areas support 150,000 Canadians each month.
Almost 50 per cent of households accessing food banks are families with children.
About 850,000 people are helped by food banks each month.
