Annual food bank donation campaign this Saturday in Emo, Fort Frances & Rainy River

The annual Stuff a Cruiser campaign will be taking place this Saturday.

Food items collected will help stock food banks in Fort Frances, Emo and Rainy River.

Several thousand pounds of food were collected last year.

Auxiliary Captain of the Salvation Army Arthur Heathcote says the demand on area food banks has dramatically increased, and the public’s support of the campaign is greater than ever.

“Food insecurity has gotten to a critical point for most people, but because of events like this, it helps us keep our food pantries stocked so that when people do come looking for assistance, they’re able to find some with us,” says Heathcote.

The one-day food collection will take place on Saturday, December 6th, at Beaver Mills Market in Rainy, Cloverleaf at Emo, and in Fort Frances at Walmart, The Place, and Safeway.

It will go from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Heathcote says volunteers will be handing out lists of the food banks’ needs.

“They certainly don’t have to buy everything on the list, but if you pick up one or two items every little bit helps.”

The area’s emergency and law enforcement personnel are lending a hand.

Representatives from the Ontario Provincial Police, Treaty Three Police Service, Canada Border Services Agency, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Rainy River Paramedic Services are among them.

“We have all kinds of service personnel who step up every year to help make this event happen,” says Heathcote.

“Whenever we approach them, these people are always willing to come alongside and support Stuff a Cruiser.”

All food items collected on Saturday will go to the food bank located in the community where they were received, with Fort Frances donations being split between the Salvation Army and the United Native Friendship Centre.