Photo: COFB/Instagram

The Central Okanagan Food Bank has launched its 28th annual Set the Holiday Table matching campaign for this holiday season.

Running the entire month of December, Set the Holiday Table matches all incoming donations up to a total of $125,000 until Dec. 31, making vital generosity go further.

This year, the campaign’s the matching donor wishes to remain anonymous and let the impact of their kindness do the talking.

Set the Holiday has two goals- first, to lessen the stigma around those who use the food bank and second, to raise critical funds that allow COFB to continue meeting demand.

During Set the Holiday Table, COFB shares client stories to raise awareness of the many unique pathways that lead to an individual or family to need support. From being scammed to facing the difficult housing and job market in the Okanagan to sudden onset health problems, these stories encompass many challenges and walks of life. COFB reports statistics that may surprise many people - there has been a 43% increase in the last 12 months of two-parent working households, their fastest growing demographic.

More families and individuals are finding it difficult to keep up with rising costs of living in and COFB has seen 4,430 new clients so far this year.

In order to continue providing this essential food aid, COFB says matching campaigns like Set the Holiday Table are hugely important and impactful.

“So much of the model of food banks is community supporting community.” says Trina Speiser, Director of Development at COFB. “Set the Holiday Table provides the opportunity for everyone to gather around a holiday meal.”

With the Canda Post strike preventing people from mailing their donations, fundraising is proving to be more difficult than anticipated so far this holiday season for COFB.

They ask that people bring their generosity to donate online or over the phone so that operations can continue and develop alongside the community. The food bank is serving almost 12,000 individuals this month and COFB doesn’t see that number declining any time soon.

You can contribute to Set the Holiday Table by:

• Donating online at cofoodbank.com/settheholidaytable.

• Calling the Central Okanagan Food Bank at 250-763-7161 to donate.

• Dropping by the Central Okanagan Food Bank office between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday to donate.