NEWS & FEATURES

Helping the hungry

Bringing X-mas to the needy

not everyone has enough to eat? Of

course, we were all told by our parents that we should ‘‘finish what is on your plate, there are starving children in Africa.’’

But what about the hungry in Charlottetown? Yes, Charlottetown. It is sometimes very easy to think that the Island does not suffer the problems of the rest of the world. But we do.

The Charlottetown Food Bank started busi- ness in 1986, preparing and giving out hampers of groceries for people who just could not afford it. On average the Food Bank gives out 600-700 hampers per month. Christmas is coming up, and they expect that number to increase to 900 or more.

That is a lot of food, and it has to come from somewhere. Some of it comes from business donations, but the majority is donated by the

H ave you ever thought about the fact that

people of the Island: ‘‘Islanders are really good about giving,’’ said a spokesperson of the Food Bank.

The Food Bank is lucky that Islanders are so good about giving, because in other provinces some banks have run out of supplies. This forces them to shut down, and turn away the people who need them. Our bank has not had to face that yet, but every year the need for their services gets greater, and there are times when they have come close to running out.

All across Canada, the number of people who are using Food Banks is on the increase. Many campuses now have Food Banks. There are some students using the Charlottetown Bank, but most of its patrons are families and seniors, for whom the dollar will not stretch as far as it should. :

You have probably noticed all of the food

drives going on across Charlottetown lately, but have you donated to any of them? There are many charities out there we all would like to help, but sometimes money is tight. The great thing about the Food Bank is you can give money, but you can help just as much in other ways. Drop off some of those canned peas your parents gave you, and someone would probably love that cake mix you never seem to have the time to make up. Even better (so that you do not have to walk all the way there), many grocery stores have a drop-off box, and right now there is a box inside the front doors of Dalton Hall. Also, if you have an extra hour or two, they always need volunteers... picking up things from drop -ff boxes, delivering hampers, or packing hampers, just give them a call and they will find you something for you to help out with. I know you have all heard before how Christ- mas is all about giving, and not just presents to your friends. If there is any time that people need help it isnow. At Christmas, when you are eating your nice turkey dinner, with stuffing and all the trimmings, I hope you can say you helped someone else have a great dinner too. ALDERA CHISHOLM

Home Ec Society fasts for needy Famine staged to help food bank

amine relief is not something that hap

pens only in places like Ethiopia. Here

at U.P.E.I. Home Economics students

were making an effort to aid the those in our community who are unfortunately short of food. Sue Anne Holloway headed an eighteen- hour famine in support of the Upper Room, Charlottetown’s local food bank. The famine was conducted by twenty-three Home Ec stu- dents who were seeking monetary donations- an amount for every hour they lasted without food,

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4/X-Press/December 2, 1993

to amaximum of eighteen hours. The nutrition- ists in the Home Ec department said the famine was not potentially hazardous to participants’ health. Holloway said the famine was impor- tant ‘‘...to experience what others are going through... to realize how lucky we are... espe- cially at this time of year.’ In lieu of money, food donations were also accepted.

Holloway said,’’ The Home Ec Society wants to get involved on campus and the commu- nity.’’ The Society will continue to accept do-

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nations of food or money on behalf of the Upper Room, or anyone may contribute directly to the Upper Room. According to Holloway the man- ager of the food bank stresses the need for money rather than food in order to buy basic foods: ‘‘...of course, frivolous things can be important too,’’ referring to Christmas celebra-

tions. ED FOBES

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