A good-sized donation from the Regional District of North Okanagan will help the Good Food Box Society.
Coordinator Diane Fleming accepted a cheque for $10,000 from electoral area directors Amanda Shatzko, Bob Fleming, Rick Fairbairn, Denis Delisle and Hank Cameron.
The North Okanagan Good Food Box is a volunteer-run, non-profit, bulk produce buying initiative that helps provide families and individuals who face food insecurity with fresh fruit and vegetables.
“These funds will assist us in hiring drivers to help get the food out to families in the more rural areas in the North Okanagan,” said Donna Antonishak, society president. “This will be even more important in the winter months as people are less able to access local produce and find easy transportation to grocery stores. This donation will really help to get healthy food to people in need.”
The grant will empower the society to purchase more than 400 large food boxes full of healthy produce and is funded from each of the Electoral Areas’ COVID-19 Safe Restart Funds.
“The federal and provincial governments provided funds to local governments through the COVID-19 Safe Restart Grant program to assist with recovery costs, including granting money to communities that provide services to vulnerable populations,” said Fairbairn, chair of the Electoral Areas Advisory Committee. “Access to healthy food is something that many of us take for granted, so we are thankful for organizations like the Good Food Box Society and are happy to support them.”
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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