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Help on the way for Whitehorse Food Bank

The Whitehorse Food Bank is receiving some much-needed support from the local community. The Yukon Employees Union Local Y010 has promised a $700 donation, and challenged other Locals to donate what they can.
foodbank

The Whitehorse Food Bank is receiving some much-needed support from the local community.

The Yukon Employees Union Local Y010 has promised a $700 donation, and challenged other Locals to donate what they can.

The Yukon Employees Union has agreed to match the total donations from all union chapters.

Union members have also been encouraged to help out by buying $50 in groceries for donation and sharing a photo on the group’s Facebook page.

On August 2, the union will go on a shopping spree, using the collected funds to help restore the barren shelves at the food bank.

The challenge was issued by Local Y010 president Tammy Sikorski.

“We want to get the other unions in the community involved in this,” she said. “If the community sees we’re doing this maybe they’ll help kick it up a notch, too.”

Since June the food bank has been struggling to meet demand, with supplies and cash running low.

Many items are missing from hampers, including canned vegetables, peanut butter, canned fruit and pasta sauce.

The food bank is currently campaigning corporate donors and has already approached the Calgary and Edmonton food banks for extra supplies.

Stephen Dunbar-Edge, the executive director of the food bank, said they’re in a “very, very bad” position heading forward.

“With no sign of food coming until the fall food drive, the fact that the Y010 and the PSAC have rallied together and are challenging not only their union members but the business members to step up, it couldn’t come at a better time.”

A list of needed items is posted on the food bank’s website and Dunbar-Edge said the results from the local campaign are already starting to arrive. A tax receipt is provided for donations.

Visit the Yukon Employees’ Union Facebook page for more information.

Contact Sam Riches at sam@yukon-news.com