South Country Co-Op donates thousands in meat products to Medicine Hat Food Bank

“Often times we think about donating canned items and those kind of things to food banks and it makes sense to do that,” said Symmonds. “But, when we look at the cost of meat and the cost of produce, a lot of our families might be able to afford a can of vegetables, but they can not afford the meat and the fresh produce.”

It’s one of the busiest periods of the year for the Medicine Hat Food Bank, as the Thanksgiving long weekend approaches with many of their clients needing help purchasing food.

Symmonds said donations are welcomed at any time of the year, but are even more important ahead of major holidays like Thanksgiving.

“When we think about holidays we often think about food, that comes to mind often,” she said. “So, I think that for families when the extra pressure is on to buy that turkey or to buy that meat to make sure that their families have it, it’s hard to have to choose between that and the day-to-day necessities.”

“So, this gives them a full, nutritious meal.”

Symmonds confirmed donations have been on the decline this year, both in food and in cash.

Entering the final few months of 2018, she added they are able to make the most use out of donations of money rather than simply food items.

“Cash is always king,” she said. “If you can donate cash, we can take your cash, and we can buy at places like South Country Co-Op for a better price.”

Individual donations of meat products are usually not accepted by the food bank, as they have to purchase directly from grocery stores to maintain safety of the products.

However, the food bank has introduced a new program to make donations possible for local hunters in the area.

Titled ‘Hunters for the Harvest,’ the program allows hunters to bring their animals to Deerview Meats, who in turn are able to donate to the food bank.

Whether donations of food or cash come from individuals or groups like South Country Co-Op or Deerview Meats, Symmonds said they can’t thank the community enough for their efforts.

“We’re always so grateful for our community,” she said. “Anytime we ask for help, they always come forward. We’re just running into the CHAT Food Drive and we’re really excited to get started with that. We’re grateful for Co-Op and for all of our donors, their amazing.”

Anyone looking to access services or donate at the Medicine Hat & District Food Bank is encouraged to call 403-528-4313.

by Scott Roblin

South Country Co-Op donates thousands in meat products to Medicine Hat Food Bank

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