The BC Emergency Health Services and the Ambulance Paramedics of BC will be holding its 13th annual food drive for the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Prince George at Save On Foods on the following dates, times and locations:
December 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. @ Parkwood
December 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. @ College Heights
“We are overwhelmed by the generosity we’ve seen in the past twelve years, and amazed at the outpouring of support for our community. Last Saturday at Save On Spruceland we collected over 60 boxes of food,” said Prince George Paramedic Jim VanderPloeg.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society operates a soup kitchen at 1220 Second Avenue and they serve an average of 120 people every breakfast and up to 200 during the lunch hour every day.
“It is only through the generosity of the people of Prince George that we are able to keep our doors open 365 days a year. We are simply the instruments that put it altogether,” said society spokeswoman Bernie Goold.
The food received from the food drive will be used to make emergency hampers, which consist of one week of groceries. “We have seen a big increase in the number of hamper requests from low income working families and seniors on fixed incomes” said Goold. St. Vincent de Paul assembles an average of 325 hampers each Christmas to assist families in need.
“We will accept anything — anything is a blessing. Luxury items include juice, canned fruit and jello. Most people don’t think about that. We usually serve 400 people Christmas Day for dinner and it takes a few days to prepare for it, so if anyone has free time between December 20– 26, please call our coordinator at 564-7871.”