Skip to content

West Kelowna business helping community through trying times

Owner Marlon Fagan wants to give back to the community that has invested in him
23369658_web1_groceriesfood_1
(File photo)

Eight months into the COVID-19 pandemic and with many people struggling financially, a West Kelowna business is stepping in to help those in need.

EnviroMetal Towing and Scrap Car Removal owner Marlon Fagan said he just wanted to remind his neighbours that help is still available.

But besides that, he said he wanted to give back to the community that has helped him and his business grow. Every year, EnviroMetal distributes Christmas hampers so giving back is not new to Fagan, but he said that this year, he knows more families might be struggling financially.

He has committed to filling the fridges of strangers, in a safe way.

So he asked his neighbours if they need help. Even if his they didn’t need anything, he asked them to pass on the message to let others know he’s willing to help.

“We’ve already had five families ask for help. It’s so hard to ask for help but it shows you how people are struggling,” he said.

“Everybody’s in need. There’re so many people that aren’t working and I just want to give back to the community, especially to the people who need it at this moment. No kid or parent should go to bed hungry.”

He said he’s already shopped for the five families and with the help of his wife and children, they’re sanitizing the items as well as the bags they’ll be putting the grocery items in.

After that, they’ll be dropping off the bags at the families’ doorstep to minimize COVID-19 exposure.

READ MORE: 18 more COVID-19 cases in Interior Health

Fagan added he’s also received many messages from other community members asking him how they can help, which he said was a nice surprise.

“It’s just a pay-it-forward system. I’ve gone through the drive-thru so many times and I don’t even know who bought me a coffee, so I’m doing the same thing. What comes around goes around and I just believe that if everybody makes a little bit of an effort, it would change the whole community at this moment,” he said.

Fagan knows he can’t help the community alone, so he’s asking for food donations.

If you wish to donate food items to be distributed in the community, you can contact Fagan and his team at envirometal@hotmail.ca or message them through their Facebook page.

READ: Canada still in ‘incredibly serious’ situation with COVID-19, Trudeau


Twila Amato
Video journalist, Black Press Okanagan
Follow me on Twitter


Twila Amato

About the Author: Twila Amato

Twila was a radio reporter based in northern Vancouver Island. She won the Jack Webster Student Journalism Award while at BCIT and received a degree in ancient and modern Greek history from McGill University.
Read more