By Bruce Corcoran
While The Gift delivered food and toys to thousands of Chatham-Kent residents and helped fill Christmas hampers for a number of holiday charitable efforts, the shelves at one of Chatham’s food banks remain in need of filling.
Brenda LeClair of Chatham’s Outreach for Hunger said the huge need this year means that the food bank did not receive as much from The Gift as many people think.
“We received two skids of boxes. Most of it was toiletries. There was very little food,” she said. “We really appreciated it, but we still have a need. That’s the nature of the business.”
LeClair said she was scheduled to stop by The Gift’s Richmond Street operation on Dec. 7, but a weekend giveaway to those in need left the shelves bereft of food.
“I was scheduled to go to pick up our donation, but I was told it all went out the door,” she said, adding the need is certainly there. “They got food out to the community; they did a great job.”
But the pressure remains for Outreach for Hunger.
“Our numbers have increased because of COVID. We have to keep up with that. We have to make sure people get fed,” LeClair said.
She added the community support received so far is greatly appreciated.
Items of need for the food bank are peanut butter, canned fruit, macaroni and cheese, pasta sauce, canned meat and fish, paper products, toiletries, cake mixes and oatmeal, LeClair said.
Outreach for Hunger is open right up to Dec. 23.
For more information, call 519-351-8381.
