The second Helping Hands Food Drive of the year is hitting several west Cochrane communities on Saturday (April 22). Volunteers will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Cochrane Activettes Food Bank.

“This is traditionally our largest food drive of the year,” says April Baird, Food Security Programs Manager for Helping Hands Society. “Because it covers all of the west communities, everything west of Highway 22.”

Starting at 10 a.m., volunteers will visit West Valley, West Terrace, West Pointe, Heartland, Heritage Hills, Bow Meadows, Bow Ridge and Jumping Pound.

Donations can simply be placed outside by your front door for pick-up Saturday morning.  Alternatively, residents can expect a knock at the door if nothing is left out.

“If you can leave those donations out on your front step in some form or capacity, that really helps. Leave them in something like a reusable bag, or a small recyclable box and it saves a ton of time.”

Items on the Food Bank wish list include

  • Rice

  • Canned meat

  • Canned fruit

  • Juice

  • Granola bars 

  • Soup of any kind

 

Baird says there is always friendly competition when it comes to the Food Drives. 

“The last Food Drive was seven and a half pumpkin bins, so the west end of Cochrane has to beat seven and a half and they go into the leader position.”

“We'd really like to see 10 or 11 this year if we can!”