Vernon Food Bank looks to community for helping hand this holiday season

VERNON – The local food bank is calling on the community to help make the holidays bright for the less fortunate.

The Salvation Army is launching its annual Christmas Kettle Campaign on Saturday, Nov. 21 and is looking for volunteers.

“Christmas should be about celebrating, good memories, and family coming together,” Captain Jean-Curtis Plante says in a media release. “But for many people visiting our local food bank, Christmas can be a reminder that they are alone, hungry, struggling with an addiction, or can’t afford a Christmas present for their child.”

You can help change that, he says.

Volunteers are needed to help fill two-hour shifts at 13 locations in Vernon between Nov. 21 and Dec. 24. Teams or businesses can sign-up to cover an entire date or location, Plante says.

“For those with physical limitations, we made changes this year to shorten the shifts to only two hours and are including stools to make the time on your kettle shift much more comfortable and enjoyable,” Plante says.

The annual Kettle Campaign is a major primary fundraising drive for the Vernon Food Bank and the funds raised go directly to support those in need in Vernon with many different Christmas programs such as Christmas hampers, gifts for children and programming for Vernon’s seniors. 

Click here to sign-up online and select the dates that suit you or your team best.  For more details or questions on how to get involved with Kettles,  email kettles@vernonsalvationarmy.ca

If you wish to make a financial donation online, click here. 

“There are many exciting opportunities to give back this year. From filling kettle shifts, wrapping Christmas presents or stuffing Christmas hampers, there are so many ways for people of all ages and abilities to get involved, have fun and support those in need,” Plante says.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.