The Fig, Give Luck team up to give free groceries to those in need

Photo: The Fig

Two local organizations are teaming up to provide free groceries for people in need this holiday season.

Give Luck, an organization that helps the community in a number of ways, is working together with The Fig Bistro to distribute food to those who are less fortunate.

"One of my teacher friends got all of the kids in her class to collect the food at Lavington Elementary, and then she contacted me to distribute it," says Myrika Godard, co-founder of Give Luck. "The kids came through in such a big way, there were four or five truckloads of food that they were able to collect."

Give Luck turned to The Fig to help them distribute the food, since they are still doing their Seniors Meals on Wheels program that started when the pandemic began. The Fig was on board with the idea, and they started giving out the groceries on Wednesday.

"Myrika reached out to us and asked if we could help, and we thought this was a good way to help people quickly and directly," says David Scarlatescu, owner of The Fig.

"We're not trying to compete with food banks at all, we just thought it was an opportunity to help the community. It's been going well so far, we had about a dozen bags go out on Wednesday and we still have a ton of food ready to be given away."

Scarlatescu says someone reached out to The Fig on Wednesday saying they were really in need of food, and if there was any way to get some to them. He asked the person for their address so that they can figure out a way to get the food to them.

As it turns out, the person is from Kelowna. After some brainstorming, Scarlatescu's mother said she would deliver the groceries herself.

"We're going to bring the groceries down there on Thursday – our family believes in walking the walk, not just talking the talk, when it comes to helping people," says Scarlatescu. "At the end of the day this is about helping people and not worrying about whether it's convenient."