By Ian Holmes

‘The need is huge:’ Hamperville Nanaimo campaign gears up for busy month

Dec 6, 2017 | 2:45 PM

NANAIMO — A mammoth seasonal undertaking is underway to make life easier for families who struggle to put food on the table over the winter holidays. 

Hamperville Nanaimo, a joint effort between Loaves and Fishes Community Food Bank and the Salvation Army, hopes to fill the fridges and shelves of an expected 2,500 Nanaimo area homes.

“It is a bump up in terms of the number of people we’re actually serving, it’s an increase and fortunately the community responds and we’re able to meet that need,” Loaves and Fishes executive director Peter Sinclair told NaniamoNewsNOW.

Anyone in need of a food hamper this holiday season can pre-register at any of the several food depots around the city, then pick up their food at a designated time. Pre-registrations are being accepted until Saturday, Dec. 9.

Sinclair said hundreds of volunteers help at the Loaves and Fishes depots each year and they receive roughly $400,000 worth of food to give to the community. 

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“It means they can have a Christmas where kids get to go out for a movie or kids get to go out for dinner with their parents, without the Food Bank those sorts of things wouldn’t happen and those good memories aren’t created,” Sinclair said.

Hampers will also be handed out on Dec. 23 between 12 and 3 p.m. for those who didn’t pre-register at the Loaves and Fishes depot on Farquhar St.

Upwards of 1,200 volunteers will be required to hand out Christmas hampers in December. A list of Hamperville volunteer shifts that need to be filled can be viewed here.

Sinclair said an average 3,500 people a month rely on Loaves and Fishes for food monthly and he expected Hamperville will serve an estimated 5,000 people.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter:@reporterholmes