The Summerland Food Bank and Resource Centre has a brand new walk-in cooler thanks to a grant of $11,500 from the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen.
The Foundation’s Barbara Pearce Fund and the Summerland Credit Union Fund contributed to the grant.
“This 350 cubic foot cooler unit provides us with so much more flexibility in the handling and storage of non-frozen perishable food,” said Tara Hollas, resource coordinator at the food bank and resource centre.
“It allows us to purchase eggs, margarine, fresh fruit and vegetables in larger quantities so as to obtain better pricing. It also gives us capacity to accept more fruit donated from local orchardists and gardeners and preserve its freshness for several weeks. Previously our donated fruit, particularly soft fruit, would spoil very rapidly.”
“This cooler would not have been possible without the Community Foundation grant,” said food bank president John Bubb. “It will serve the needs of the Food Bank and its clients for many years to come. We would like to sincerely thank the Foundation and its donors for their financial help.”
In the 12 months ending Nov. 30, the Summerland Food Bank served the needs of 275 households in Summerland — 30 households more than in the same period last year.
Those 275 households included 397 adults and 192 children.