Both Langley food banks are benefiting from a Walmart campaign to drum up donations.
On Saturday, March 23rd, a cube van with a canopy shelter collected 927 pounds of food items and $757.65 in cash for the Langley Food Bank at the Walmart Supercentre at 20202 66 Ave.
About the same time, a continuing in-store collection for the Langley Sources Food Bank passed the $18,000 mark, beating the goal of more than $15,000 with several days before that campaign was to wind up on Thursday, March 28.
Last year, the first year for the event at the Langley store, 18 bins were collected.
This year, it was 28.
Jared Evans, assistant manager at Walmart Langley said the Walmart campaign aimed to raise awareness and encourage people to donate to strengthen local community food banks.
He estimated overall donations amounts were up “slightly, which is nice to see.”
Evans, and Rodney Blackwell from the Rotary Club of Langley Central District 5050were handling out flyers to at the store entrance on Saturday to encourage food bank donations.
“Whatever you can do to help, we’re grateful for that,” Blackwell said.
Jim Calamunce, executive director at Langley Food Bank was pleased with the response.
“We actually already went into the store, had a gigantic bin full of food brought out here,” Calamunce remarked, as the donation drive got underway.
”I think we’re up to about 12 or 15 bins already.”
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Sources Langley Food Bank, at 5492 Production Blvd., is accepting donations on site Mondays to Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Fridays 9 a.m. to noon. Sources can be reached at 604-532-5290.
People can drop off donations to the Langley Food Bank at its new location at #10-20308 Logan Ave. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. People can reach the food bank at 604-533-0671.
Langley Food Bank will hold an open house at its new site on Thursday, April 18, from 4 to 6 p.m.