Photo: Contributed

Through your generosity, the fifth annual Cast A Light campaign raised a total of $52,663 in support of the Kelowna Community Food Bank, exceeding this year’s $50,000 goal.  

Launched in mid-November, the Campaign was kick-started with a Q103.1 live radio remote from Orchard Park Mall that introduced a Castanet.net on-line auction with items donated by dozens of Mall retailers and other local and regional businesses, contributing over $7,400 toward the Cast A Light total.

Castanet.net and Food Bank staff, board members and volunteers all wish to express their appreciation to those in our community who participated and donated to the Cast A Light campaign.  Your support goes a long way toward helping to provide healthy, nutritional food for low income children, families and seniors in the Central Okanagan.

When recently asked how many people the Kelowna Food Bank provided assistance for, this year, Executive Director, Vonnie Lavers, simply replied, “Too many.”

The numbers are staggering; a record 1,250 Christmas hampers distributed, last week, up from the 839 of a year previous. With demand up and donations down going into December, there was much concern at the Food Bank, but as the month wore on, the picture brightened as the community came together to help meet the need with an unprecedented number of privately organized food and fundraising events helping to fill the void.

With BC showing the highest child poverty rate in Canada for the eighth year running (CATCH 2011 ‘State of the Child Report’) and Kelowna ranking as the 38th most expensive city in the world to live (Central Okanagan Foundation 2011 ‘Vital Signs Report’), the Kelowna Food Bank will carry on assisting record numbers of low-income children, families, individuals and seniors by providing nutritional improvement and food share programs in the coming year, while continuing to advocate for changing attitudes and actions toward dealing with the causes of chronic hunger and poverty.  Since the most recent economic downturn, these issues has never been more apparent, as the Food Bank has seen a changing face to its clients, who now include many of those that have previously been donors but now find themselves unable to put enough food on their own tables. The ever-widening wage and wealth gap, lack of quality jobs and the high cost of living and affordable housing, all contribute to an increasing number of our working class becoming our working poor, here, in Kelowna.

As the fifth annual Cast A Light campaign comes to an end, in these challenging times our community has demonstrated enormous compassion coming to the aid of our at-risk population who have struggled to make ends meet. From Castanet.net, whose staff again stepped up to support the campaign, featuring it on the Okanagan’s most popular home page web browser, to Q103.1 Radio, Orchard Park Shopping Centre and all the merchants and other local businesses who contributed to the Cast A Light auction launch, to those community supporters, partners, volunteer groups and donors who shared their stories of commitment, to those past Food Bank clients who inspired us with their stories of success and to those current clients whose stories reminded us of the challenges so many struggle to overcome, and to all of those businesses, groups and individuals who have donated throughout the campaign, your caring and generosity has gone a long way toward helping to meet that critical need throughout the holiday season and well into the new year. 

The resounding message and oft-repeated theme throughout the Cast A Light campaign was, “give what you can, but give something,” and, as a community, you did.  For that, the Kelowna Food Bank says, “Thank you and have a happy, prosperous and enlightened New Year.”

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Please indicate if you wish for your name not to be listed on Castanet along with your donation amount – we automatically list it if the donor does not indicate otherwise.

Make a donation on Castanet (www.castanet.net) CAST-A-LIGHT Campaign from now until December 31st, 2011.  (A tax receipt will be e-mailed to you for donations over $10.)

Drop your CAST-A-LIGHT donation off at the Kelowna Community Food Bank at 1265 Ellis Street (Downtown Kelowna) between 9 AM and 4 PM,Monday-Friday.

Mail in your CAST-A-LIGHT donation to:

Kelowna Community Food Bank
1265 Ellis Street, Kelowna, BC
V1Y 1Z7

Phone:  250-763-7161
Fax: 250-763-9116

With the highest child poverty rate in the country for eight years running and a provincial government that claims we do not need a poverty reduction strategy in BC, it is reassuring to see there are people in our local community who have stepped up to ask what they can do to help.

Photo: Contributed

Misato and her husband, Jae, have been together in Kelowna for five years, she from an affluent Japanese upbringing, he from China. As a child, Misato lived in China for several years and was overcome with the poverty and squalid conditions in which children lived. “In Japan, whatever I wanted, my parents always gave to me,” says Misato.  “This was my first experience seeing children who didn’t have anything. They didn’t have clothes or shoes… they could not eat… they were begging. For me, this was so sad.”  This left such an impression that from the age of seven, she vowed she would always try to do something for children living in poverty.

Jae grew up in China and after graduating from high school, came to Okanagan College, where he and Misato met.  After graduating, he began working at the Sony Store, where he is now the manager, but continues to moonlight at his wife’s restaurant. “Misato loves children, so much. She is very emotional about helping children,” Jae says. “I am more logical and just feel the children deserve more than adults.  Adults can get help (through social welfare and charities) but children are innocent. They didn’t do anything and can’t help themselves, but they deserve better food and a better living environment.” He believes low income children need not only food, but education and a quality of living that provides an opportunity to grow up to break the cycle of poverty so they will not have to rely on society for support. 

Former Interior Health Medical Officer, Dr. Paul Hasselback, addressed the issue of child poverty most succinctly, saying, “Food Banks act as an unpleasant reminder of society’s failure to stop poverty. There’s nobody more adversely affected by that failure than children who, when hungry, start out at a crippling disadvantage that often leads to a life impeded by educational underachievement, substance abuse and violent behavior – all things that eventually cost society a lot more than the price of a few meals a 

day.”

Hugh Gloster, Superintendent for School District 23 says, “You need food to feed the body and feed the brain.  Students coming to school poorly nourished are distracted by hunger, finding it difficult to concentrate. It often leads to ill health, which means that they miss school resulting in learning gaps. So poor nutrition has a significant impact on their ability to just be young children and enjoy the love of learning.”

When Misato opened her downtown Kelowna sushi restaurant, Misato’s Kitchen, she decided she wanted to help the Kelowna Food Bank and to help the children. With an all-you-can-eat Sushi menu item, at one stage she decided she would make people pay extra for any food they wasted and have it go to the Food Bank, but Jae, taking a more logical approach, saw that might be hard to enforce, so they settled for a Food Band cash donation box on the counter, where Misato still likes to point the wastrels. She was quick to offer up a package of dinner gift certificates when she learned of the Food Bank Cast A Light Auction that launched the campaign, and both she and Jae have other ideas to help low-income children in the new year. “We would be happy to have weekend classes to teach the children how to make sushi and we can provide the food so they eat while they learn,” says Jae. “Then there will be the experience and social activity, where they can enjoy the food but more importantly, they will enjoy it with friends in the community where they feel valued.” Misato adds, “It will be an opportunity to teach them a little bit about Japanese culture, and share that, too.”  

“I just love children so much,” says Misato, who is now four months pregnant with the couple’s first child. “Having a baby and a happy family of our own is one of my dreams.” She will keep working as long as she can, though, for her family and for the children in the community. Until then, their wish is for every child to have a very Happy New Year.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Please indicate if you wish for your name not to be listed on Castanet along with your donation amount – we automatically list it if the donor does not indicate otherwise.

Make a donation on Castanet (www.castanet.net) CAST-A-LIGHT Campaign from now until December 31st, 2011.  (A tax receipt will be e-mailed to you for donations over $10.)

Drop your CAST-A-LIGHT donation off at the Kelowna Community Food Bank at 1265 Ellis Street (Downtown Kelowna) between 9 AM and 4 PM,Monday-Friday.

Mail in your CAST-A-LIGHT donation to:

Kelowna Community Food Bank
1265 Ellis Street, Kelowna, BC
V1Y 1Z7

Phone:  250-763-7161
Fax: 250-763-9116

While most would look for a frivolous way to celebrate a 30th birthday, how many would look for 30 ways in 30 days to give back to their community?

Photo: Contributed

Lindsay Goertzen is the small business owner (Aura Beauty), a wife and mother who decided she could still find the time to dedicate one act of kindness each day for thirty days ending with the ‘Holly Jolly Food Bank Follies’. She says, “I had done thirty days of good deeds leading up to my birthday and when my friend, Lisa, read about the need at the Kelowna Food Bank, we decided we had to do something big for my final act of kindness this season.”

So, the idea evolved to organize a busload of Christmas carolers and canvas a neighbourhood, singing and having fun, while collecting food and cash donations to support the Food Bank. With the help of Linsday’s husband, Robert, a bus was provided by his employer, Taylor Pro Training. The Food Bank’s Operations Manager, Rob Weller, did some research and determined that the Black Mountain area hadn’t had an organized event yet, this year, so the stage was set to meet at the Ramada Inn on Sunday, December 18th to ‘Get on the Bus’ for the ‘Holly Jolly Food Bank Follies’. 

“By the Friday before the event we didn’t think we would have enough people to make it happen,” says Lindsay.  “Then, people started writing on my Facebook wall that they wanted to come and the media got on board and the event began to take off. “ 

By Saturday, Lindsay was swamped with email offers from people wanting to get involved, make donations, or both.   “So many people wanted to help,” she says. “Maxine Dehart at the Ramada offered their parking lot as a staging area so our nine carolers met there and others who weren’t in the Black Mountain area came down with donations even before we left. One elderly disabled woman in Rutland emailed that she couldn’t get down to the Food Bank so we stopped there on the way to Black Mountain.”

With some assistance from the Black Mountain Residents’ Association, residents were notified of the “Holly Jolly Food Bank Follies’ bus rolling through the neighbourhood with a tremendous response. Even many who were not at home left additional donations on steps and verandas. “The response was truly overwhelming,” says Lindsay. “When we rang a doorbell and started to sing, some people would invite us in and go and start loading bags with items, and the longer we stayed to sing, the more we collected,” she laughs. “They were so excited to help the Food Bank. Then some of the neighbours would hear us so they were already getting things together when we got there. We had so much fun.”

In the end, some $400 in cash and over 700 pounds of food and toys were raised from Black Mountain residents and other local supporters for the Kelowna Food Bank. Lindsay says, “I think that is a phenomenal start and we are going to beat it next year,” hinting this will become an annual event.  “I am so excited,” she says. “It has always been my passion to give back with these little things that I do. To be able to inspire others to help and then inspire a whole community to give, that is my dream job.”

For Lindsay, giving back to her Kelowna community comes from a place deep in her heart. Originally working as a paramedic in Manitoba, she came to Kelowna shortly after the birth of her daughter to visit family and fell critically ill while here. She ended up in hospital for several months, the outcome uncertain. After such a life-changing experience, Lindsay recognized that were it not for the support of family and friends in this community, she may not have survived, so decided to remain in Kelowna with her family. She says, “I thought I had everything and then the unexpected happened and it could have torn us apart. It changed me as a person. Not only did it have a physical impact on my life, but it changed me, emotionally. You only have one life to live and I want to live it in a passionate and compassionate way, giving to others. The Food Bank is there for people like me who have had a job loss or an illness and I feel so grateful that they would allow me to give back by doing this.”

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Please indicate if you wish for your name not to be listed on Castanet along with your donation amount – we automatically list it if the donor does not indicate otherwise.

Make a donation on Castanet (www.castanet.net) CAST-A-LIGHT Campaign from now until December 31st, 2011.  (A tax receipt will be e-mailed to you for donations over $10.)

Drop your CAST-A-LIGHT donation off at the Kelowna Community Food Bank at 1265 Ellis Street (Downtown Kelowna) between 9 AM and 4 PM, Monday-Friday.

Mail in your CAST-A-LIGHT donation to:

Kelowna Community Food Bank
1265 Ellis Street, Kelowna, BC
V1Y 1Z7

Phone: 250-763-7161
Fax: 250-763-9116

When Interior Savings Credit Union asked its employees to select a worthy charity to support in December, the vote was unanimous in support of food banks. 

Photo: Contributed

For the second year in a row, Interior Savings is running its ‘Spread the Joy’ promotion and fundraiser throughout the month of December. In promoting the ease and convenience of their online banking experience, they’re ‘Spreading the Joy’ by donating $50 to local food banks for every member who signs up for online banking throughout the month. And they’re not stopping there; for every online bill payment a member makes in December, Interior Savings will donate an additional 25 cents to their food bank! They’ve pledged to donate up to $30,000 to local food banks throughout their twenty one branch network serving fourteen Okanagan and Thompson communities.

Interior Savings President and CEO, Barry Meckler says, “This campaign is a way of blending two elements that are deeply imbedded in our cooperative values:  responding to our members’ needs with great products and services, while at the same time sharing the success of our credit union with our communities.”

In addition, Interior Savings branches are also collecting food for those in need. Those donations along with cheques to local food banks will be delivered in mid-January, which comes at a time of year when there is still a huge demand and donations typically fall off, dramatically.  Sarah Trudeau, Community Relations Coordinator for Interior Savings says, “This is the time of year when local food banks need our support and we are happy to give a helping hand where it’s needed most.”

Interior Savings members can continue to ‘Spread the Joy’, by signing up for online banking  and paying all those holiday bills online, right through the end of this week. Interior Savings VP of Marketing and Communications, Gene Creelman says, “It’s not too late to take advantage of his great opportunity to help us maximize our donation to the food banks. We’d like nothing better than to see the size of these cheques keep on growing.”

As the largest food bank of all communities served by Interior Savings Credit Union, the Kelowna Food Bank welcomes the support from their members and staff.  A cash donation can equate to as much as triple its value in items purchased by the Kelowna Food Bank through the purchase leveraging it enjoys with many of its wholesale and retail suppliers.

For Interior Savings members and other community supporters alike, you can also help the Kelowna Food Bank by donating directly through the Cast A Light campaign.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Please indicate if you wish for your name not to be listed on Castanet along with your donation amount – we automatically list it if the donor does not indicate otherwise.

Make a donation on Castanet (www.castanet.net) CAST-A-LIGHT Campaign from now until December 31st, 2011.  (A tax receipt will be e-mailed to you for donations over $10.)

Drop your CAST-A-LIGHT donation off at the Kelowna Community Food Bank at 1265 Ellis Street (Downtown Kelowna) between 9 AM and 4 PM, Monday-Friday.

Mail in your CAST-A-LIGHT donation to:

Kelowna Community Food Bank
1265 Ellis Street, Kelowna, BC
V1Y1Z7

Phone:  250-763-7161
Fax: 250-763-9116

Angels and good deeds are often mentioned at the same time, but anonymous angel donors don’t always step forward to be recognized. 

Photo: Contributed

A former street kid trying to provide for her young daughters, Angel, 6 and Kyla, 3, Donna works hard at a minimum wage restaurant job, washing dishes and trying to get by. Unfortunately, by the time the rent and bills are paid, there is little left over for food. “I came to the Food Bank a long time ago when I was on social assistance, and needed help every so often,” she says. “Ironically, now that I’m working, it seems I need more help than I did then.”

She desperately wanted to provide some joy and happiness for her children, this Christmas, so when Donna heard about the Kelowna Food Bank ‘Sponsor-A-Family’ program she decided to apply as a recipient. After putting in a late night shift at work, she got up early for her interview and arrived clutching her family photo album to share some pictures and stories about her girls with the Food Bank’s Client Services. She told them that all she really wanted for Christmas was clothes for her children. 

Each year, the Kelowna Food Bank ‘Sponsor-A-Family’ program matches donors with recipients according to their preferences. After donors fill out a sponsorship form they are provided guidelines for gifts and Christmas food hampers. Once matched, donors are notified of the sponsored family name as well as the ages and gender of each family member. Then, for some, a delivery time is set up with the sponsor family so everyone can experience the joy of the gift giving. Some donors prefer to remain anonymous. 

Photo: Contributed

Donna was thrilled when she was recommended as a program recipient and was overwhelmed when she came in to pick up her Christmas bounty. “The Food Bank saved our Christmas with the Sponsor-A-Family program,” she says.  “When I saw all the packages I was in shock… I was about to cry. There aren’t words to express my thanks to these donors… we love them.”  In Donna’s case, the donors were an anonymous group of UBCO faculty and staff members, who were delighted to receive a hand crafted Christmas card and thank-you note along with a family photo from Donna and her children.

Donna hopes to be doing better, herself, in the new year. She is working hard to move up to a higher paying job where she is employed now, or look for a better job that will provide her more income or hours to make ends meet.  For now though, she just wants to give thanks. “You guys are angels… definitely helping out a lot of people who really do need it,” she says. You have a made a lot of people’s Christmas, this year… I have heard so many stories and now I’m one of them.  My kids are so happy and that’s what made my Christmas.”

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
Please indicate if you wish for your name not to be listed on Castanet along with your donation amount – we automatically list it if the donor does not indicate otherwise.

Make a donation on Castanet (www.castanet.net) CAST-A-LIGHT Campaign from now until December 31st, 2011. (A tax receipt will be e-mailed to you for donations over $10.)

Drop your CAST-A-LIGHT donation off at the Kelowna Community Food Bank at 1265 Ellis Street (Downtown Kelowna) between 9 AM and 4 PM, Monday-Friday.

Mail in your CAST-A-LIGHT donation to:
Kelowna Community Food Bank
1265 Ellis Street, Kelowna, BC
V1Y 1Z7
Phone: 250-763-7161
Fax: 250-763-9116

Challenge a group of overachieving college students to engineer a sculpture from cans of food and you get an enthusiastic grin all round. Ask them to come up with a project that will make a sustainable difference to their community and you really get their attention.

SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise) is a global non-profit student run organization that encourages students to address relevant economic, social and environmental issues by empowering others to improve their quality of life and standard of living. Teams do this by implementing socially responsible outreach projects that have a notable impact on a specific need and target audience in their community.

SIFE Okanagan operates out of the Okanagan College campuses in Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton and Salmon Arm. Currently in its seventh year of operation with over 100 student members, SIFE Okanagan has had an impact in the Okanagan and across the county, winning several prestigious regional and national competitions, including the 2010 and 2011 “Campbell’s Let’s Can Hunger” Challenge for all of Canada.

Okanagan College School of Business Professor and SIFE mentor, Dr. Kyleen Myrah, along with SIFE Okanagan President, Caroline Wyatt and ‘Let’s Can Hunger’ Project Manager, Dominique Tipton, shared some insights about the group and the importance of some of the projects they are currently undertaking.

Myrah says, “One of the key things about the group and the projects that are undertaken is that they are built on identifying needs from within the community. Then we look to work with partner organizations to support those needs. The Kelowna Food Bank is very innovative and entrepreneurial, open to new ideas and we need to work with organizations that are as adaptable and creative in their thinking as we are with our initiatives.”

SIFE is very involved with the Rotary sponsored ‘Canstruction’ competition, the proceeds of which go, in part, to support the Kelowna Community Food Bank. They recently had an opportunity to preview their talents with a live demonstration during CBC Food Bank Day live programming from the Rotary Centre for the Arts. Tipton says, “We’re partnering with Rotary to help plan ‘Canstruction’, coming up in February. The objective is to raise hunger awareness. We’re also putting a team in to compete and helping to oversee the event at Orchard Park during the week of. We’re currently working on sponsorship and there are substantial discounts available on certain canned products from suppliers like Save-On, as well.”

“The value of corporate and retail partners cannot be understated,” says Myrah. “When we did the demonstration during CBC Food Bank Day, Walmart donated all of the cans. They have supported us in all four Campus communities with other food bank events as well,” she says.

‘Let’s Can Hunger’, sponsored by the Campbell Soup Company, is a comprehensive hunger challenge including: raising awareness, translating awareness to action in the form of urgent hunger relief and empowering those in need to defeat the cycle of hunger. Wyatt says, “Last year we did a number of smaller initiatives and this year we decided we want to implement a long-term hunger project. It is important to develop that long-term thinking about prevention and solutions, working to address the larger problem.”

Myrah believes financial literacy is one initiative that can go a long way toward assisting the most vulnerable at-risk population living at or below the poverty line, to help them make choices that will result in better nutrition and health over the long term. Okanagan College and SIFE students have and will continue to develop programs to address these issues in co-operation with corporate partners and institutions, as well as support organizations like the Kelowna Food Bank.

“We will continue to support food banks collecting food and money because of the need, but that is the short term,” says Myrah. “The other area we are hoping to do more is with social enterprise. We want to develop that expertise with organizations like the Food Bank so we can come up with more business models that allow for a revenue source that is not dependent on philanthropic donations, alone. Ultimately, that’s what I’d like to see, some type of self-generating, independent source of revenue.”

Tipton adds, “It is really good to be able to target and help so many people who are in need, people who go hungry every day. To be able to have a small part helping them is just amazing.”

In answer to her own question, Wyatt concludes, “Why are we doing this? Because we want to make a difference. We want to make this region a better place to live.”

Photo: Contributed

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Please indicate if you wish for your name not to be listed on Castanet along with your donation amount – we automatically list it if the donor does not indicate otherwise.

Make a donation on Castanet (www.castanet.net) CAST-A-LIGHT Campaign from now until December 31^st, 2011. (A tax receipt will be e-mailed to you for donations over $10.)

Drop your CAST-A-LIGHT donation off at the Kelowna Community Food Bank at 1265 Ellis Street (Downtown Kelowna) between 9 AM and 4 PM, Monday-Friday.

Mail in your CAST-A-LIGHT donation to:

Kelowna Community Food Bank

1265 Ellis Street, Kelowna, BC

V1Y 1Z7

Phone: 250-763-7161

Fax: 250-763-9116

Photo: Contributed

For the mother of an autistic boy, it’s all about connections, keeping him engaged to channel his boundless energy. It’s also about her connections to the many organizations that have touched their lives by helping with the Kelowna Food Bank Christmas Hamper program.

Melissa got married and moved to Kelowna nine years ago with the hopes and dreams of any young couple starting a new life together. She became pregnant and had Jace, but noticed as an infant, he didn’t seem as responsive as he should have been. By the age of two doctors had determined that Jace suffered from autism. It was too much for her husband who also suffered from a mental disorder and he soon abandoned them.

Jace is now a rambunctious eight year old, a high functioning autistic child, able to attend regular school with the assistance of a clinical advisor through the Central Okanagan Child Development Association. He tends to be into everything at once, while searching for the magic connection between word, thought and action. Over the years, it has been pretty much a full-time job working with various support agencies to assist his progress and the constant therapy has paid off over time. Together, Melissa and Jace enjoy art and photography, swimming and all types of outdoor activities, but living on social assistance, their options are limited.

Melissa had used the Food Bank when she first arrived in Kelowna and had been a food bank volunteer while she was pregnant with Jace. While she would still rather give than receive, she finds she now must use the Kelowna Food Bank monthly hamper program from time to time. “I only use the Food Bank in those months when something hard is coming up, really only when I don’t have other options,” she says. “It’s great having the extra canned goods and items I can combine with what I already have at home to create meals and I often make enough to freeze, as well. We are really looking forward to receiving a Christmas hamper, this year. That will make Christmas, for us.”

This year, approximately 1,250 families, couples and individuals are receiving Christmas hampers from the Kelowna Food Bank, well up from the 839 hampers distributed in 2010 and the highest number in the Food Bank’s 28 year history. Families with children will also get to pay a special visit to the Christmas Store and select a gift for each child.

Melissa is appreciative of the kindness and consideration shown by staff and volunteers of the Food Bank. She recognizes the contributions of the many volunteer groups that have dedicated so much of their time and effort toward the incredible task of assembling and distributing the large number of hampers going out this year. “They are all so kind and considerate to give their time. It is pretty hard, sometimes, asking for the help and they have been here to help,” she says.

Melissa hopes to finish her diploma in Water Quality Engineering at Okanagan College within the next couple of years. It is an industry she is confident will be hiring when she graduates. “For the last four years I’ve been taking part-time studies at the College,” she says. “I’m quite excited about finishing my program and finding a good job. It’s my three year plan and as soon as I get on my feet, I’ll be doing as much as I can to give back to the Food Bank.”

For Melissa and Jace, this Christmas life is all about connections, both family and community. “People should give what they can without taking away from their own family, but everyone should try to do something,” she says.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Please indicate if you wish for your name not to be listed on Castanet along with your donation amount – we automatically list it if the donor does not indicate otherwise.

Make a donation on Castanet (www.castanet.net) CAST-A-LIGHT Campaign from now until December 31^st, 2011. (A tax receipt will be e-mailed to you for donations over $10.)

Drop your CAST-A-LIGHT donation off at the Kelowna Community Food Bank at 1265 Ellis Street (Downtown Kelowna) between 9 AM and 4 PM, Monday-Friday.

Mail in your CAST-A-LIGHT donation to:

Kelowna Community Food Bank

1265 Ellis Street, Kelowna, BC

V1Y 1Z7

Phone: 250-763-7161

Fax: 250-763-9116

Photo: Contributed

We often hear of families that have children with severe allergies, the endless regime of doctors and testing, the suffering or worse that accompanies an allergic reaction. But what happens to those who grow to become adults, still with no relief or remedy for their condition?

Patty began life in Winnipeg, a precocious child with constant allergies to everything she seemed to come in contact with. As a teen, her parents moved to Kelowna in hopes the drier, warmer climate would prove a benefit, but it didn’t seem to help. That was twenty-five years ago and now, at thirty-nine, she continues to struggle to get through each day. Patty says, “I’ve been to so many allergists and doctors and naturopaths. I’ve been tested and retested, and a lot of them say that they’ve never seen anyone with as many allergies as I have. I’ll be allergic to something for a while, and then I’m not anymore. So everyday is like a moving target trying to decide what I can eat. Sometimes things will react right away with my eczema or my asthma and sometimes it will take a few days. It has definitely gotten worse over the years.”

To make matters worse, Patty has been on disability since a car accident left her with a herniated back four years ago. Now barely able to work, she struggles to pay the rent and bills, let alone keep up the regimen of expensive testing and selective food preparation. Stress and anxiety only make things worse for her. “I don’t even bother with scratch tests anymore,” she says. “Why go through the additional trauma?”

For Patty, the Kelowna Food Bank has been a tremendous resource and very accommodating of her special needs. “I have been a client of the Food Bank for many years,” she says. “I used to get a regular hamper, but I found I couldn’t eat seventy-five percent of the food, so I would bring it back or give it to others who use the Food Bank. One day, I explained my situation and now I am able to pick what I want, what I can eat. There isn’t always a big selection, but there is always something and I am very appreciative of that. They give me a lot of freedom to choose the things I can use.

“People with health issues like me need to speak up and let them know. It’s better than getting food you can’t eat that might end up being wasted, while you are still not getting what you need. The Food Bank has been so wonderful to me over the years. Thank you for helping all the people that you do. You do such a wonderful job for our community. You really do.”

The spirit of giving touches us all at this time of year and while Patty can’t afford to contribute cash or food, she was able to donate a very precious personal gift to the Kelowna Food Bank Christmas store. She gets very emotional talking about her collection of porcelain dolls, still new in their original boxes, yet nearly twenty years old, perhaps collected with a dream of having a daughter of her own to give them to, one day. Patty says, “It’s really, really tough. It is so expensive to be single with nobody to help, not working, living on disability without enough to even pay the bills…” She pauses to wipe away tears before she can continue. “I don’t have children, but it really affects me to see them struggle… so I donated my collection of porcelain dolls for the children, my way of giving something back. I was happy I could do something…. I wish I could do more. I would rather they go to a child who would love them and who might not get anything else at Christmas. That really, really makes me happy. That makes my Christmas, honestly.”

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Please indicate if you wish for your name not to be listed on Castanet along with your donation amount – we automatically list it if the donor does not indicate otherwise.

Make a donation on Castanet (www.castanet.net) CAST-A-LIGHT Campaign from now until December 31^st, 2011. (A tax receipt will be e-mailed to you for donations over $10.)

Drop your CAST-A-LIGHT donation off at the Kelowna Community Food Bank at 1265 Ellis Street (Downtown Kelowna) between 9 AM and 4 PM, Monday-Friday.

Mail in your CAST-A-LIGHT donation to:

Kelowna Community Food Bank

1265 Ellis Street, Kelowna, BC

V1Y 1Z7

Phone: 250-763-7161

Fax: 250-763-9116

Photo: Jennifer Zielinski

Sharon Shepherd and Mark Abrams talk about child poverty

Sharon Shepherd may not be sitting in the mayor's chair anymore, but she is still having her say when it comes to social issues.

Mark Abrams, the community investment officer for the Kelowna Food Bank, caught up with Shepherd at the beginning of December to speak with her about child poverty in the city.

Shepherd says she thinks it's deplorable how high, child poverty rates are in B.C.

"I'm hoping things will change as we work towards new initiatives that will change things for people, like living wages."

Living wages is a fairly new term to Kelowna, says Shepherd, and the calculation is about 17 dollars an hour.

"We are not immune to child poverty in our community either, and I have been involved with community action for children's health, CATCH, since it's inception and zero to six-years-old is a very significant area that we have to pay attention too."

According to Shepherd, Kelowna is battling with poverty and one in four children are going hungry in the community.

Abrams says Shepherd is involved with a specific program at the Kelowna Food Bank called 'No Hungry Children', that helps alleviate stress for families in poverty,

Shepherd says it's important to support the Food Bank because it's about looking after people in the community.

"The program, (No Hungry Children), surrounding children and families that makes sure we have enough money and food available for the children's initiative, struck a special place with me."

The children will be essential in our future, says Shepherd, and it's important that they are healthy and active in the community.

"Nutrition, environment is so important as well as shelter. There shouldn't be any children who aren't eating properly in our community."

Both Abrams and Shepherd agree the holiday season is a great time for the community to come together and recognize where the need is, and how they can help.

Shepherd says Christmas is a time when people are always asked to get involved and she is always surprised by how generous the community can be.

"I'm so proud of the city. People work very hard and don't expect any recognition for the hard work that they do, but we do need everyone to work together, and not always at Christmas but 365 days a year."

Although Shepherd would like the city to give everyday of the year, she recognizes that times are hard and people may not be able to give a lot, but she asks that everyone give what they can.