Nicola Valley Food Bank receives huge donation amid looking for more help

MERRITT – The Nicola Valley Food Bank (NVFB) was handed a cheque donation by Tim Hortons while seeking more help during the holiday season.

During the Smile Cookie campaign, which ran between September 19-25, Tim Hortons was able to raise $5,052.20 for the NVFB. Derlanda Hewton with the food bank said this has smashed the old record for donations through this campaign.

“It feels amazing and knowing that we break the record of the last year, it feels so amazing and I’m happy to see more smiles by this charity,” said Vedang Dhakkli, Assistant Manager at Tim Hortons in Merritt.

The donation will tremendously help the food bank heading into the Christmas season but Hewton added there is still more work to go during this busy time.

“We are currently working on the Christmas hampers,” said Hewton. “We have put out orders and hopefully everything that we have asked for will be brought in. It’s the first week of December but it seems like time is flying, by next week we are already going to be giving out the toys so time is just flying when you are having fun.”

The biggest thing the NVFB is still looking for this year is sponsors for families in need throughout the community.

“Residents can consider sponsoring a family, either monetary or they can sponsor the whole family by giving food or toys for the kids that are in the family,” said Hewton. “Monetary would be $50 for a single, $100 for a double, and $150 for a family and that would be able to provide a Christmas breakfast, dinner, and snacks.”

This year, throughout the country, food banks have been hit hard by people needing the extra help but Hewton added they are ready for the task.

“I want to say thanks for everyone who has supported the Christmas hampers. The need is greater than most years in the past, it has really increased, I think we are looking at 400 hampers this year. We will get it done, we always do.”