Peninsula Co-op, Island Savings matching donations to food banks up to $20K

Two local businesses are working together to help put food on people’s tables in the Greater Victoria and Gulf Island communities they serve.
Peninsula Co-op and Island Savings are marking "2022 Co-op Week" by encouraging people to donate cash and non-perishable food items at Island Savings and Peninsula Co-op locations on southern Vancouver Island from Oct. 16 to Oct. 21.
The combined total of each dollar raised and food item donated will be matched up to $20,000 by the two organizations.
"We know people are struggling right now and we want to help out where we can," said Peninsula Co-op director of marketing and community relations, Lindsay Gaudette.
"People don’t realize how many people are struggling with food insecurity, so we wanted to do something where we could really help come together and support our neighbours who really need it," she said.
Gaudette says as the cost of living and the price of food continues to skyrocket, more and more people are relying on food banks to make ends meet and put food on the table for their families.
"Food banks are struggling, and I think they struggle all year long, but we know at this time of year it's even harder," said Gaudette.
"We’re going into Christmas and often time the [food bank] shelves have only enough for two or three weeks," she added. "So it's really important that we keep this need top-of-mind and we keep supporting [food banks] so we can make sure that our community is not going hungry."
On Oct. 16, Island Savings and Peninsula Co-op are also teaming up with Langford-based soccer club Pacific FC to host a family friendly event at the club’s training facility at 2888 Kettle Lake Dr.
Volunteers will be on hand starting from 3:30 p.m. to accept donations of cash and food items.
"We’re going to have some Pacific FC players there so kids can kick the ball around, they can get autographs and photos with the players," said Gaudette.
"We got some fun activities planned so please bring non-perishable food items that you can donate to help the food banks."
People who attend Wednesday’s event can also enter to win a $250 Peninsula Co-op gas card.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Beyonce becomes most decorated artist in Grammys history; Harry Styles wins album of the year
Beyonce sits alone atop the Grammy throne as the ceremony's most decorated artist in history, but at the end of Sunday's show it was Harry Styles who walked away with the album of the year honour.

Powerful earthquake rocks Turkiye and Syria, kills more than 1,300
A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southeastern Turkiye and northern Syria early Monday, toppling hundreds of buildings and killing more than 1,300 people. Hundreds were still believed to be trapped under rubble, and the toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area.
First tank sent by Canada for Ukrainian forces arrives in Poland
The first of the Leopard 2 tanks Canada is donating to Ukrainian forces has arrived in Poland.
Advocates come together to help sailors stuck for months on tugboats in Quebec port
Groups that advocate for seafarers are expressing concern for 11 sailors who are spending a harsh Quebec winter aboard three tugboats that have been detained for months in the port of Trois-Rivières.
Drake, Michael Buble, Tobias Jesso Jr. among Canadian Grammy winners
Canadian pop favourites Michael Bublé and Drake each have a shiny new Grammy on their shelves, while singer-songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr. has two, thanks in part to Harry Styles.
'Natural power': 17-year-old undefeated Quebec boxer gears up for Canada Games
She started throwing punches to get exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now 17-year-old Talia Birch is gearing up to compete in the Canada Games as it opens up to female boxers for the first time
31,000 cards: Montreal woman passing along father's extensive collection of Expos baseball cards
A Montreal woman is passing along her father's extensive collection of over 31,000 Expos baseball cards. April Whitzman's father, Steve Whitzman, collected the cards from 1969 to 2016. A huge Expos fan, he's got every player covered.
Charles Kimbrough, best known for role in 'Murphy Brown,' dies at 86
Charles Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on “Murphy Brown,” died Jan. 11 in Culver City, California. He was 86.
New study highlights increasing prevalence of muscle dysmorphia among Canadian boys, young men
Canadian researchers are drawing attention to the increasing prevalence of 'a pathological pursuit of muscularity' among Canadian boys and young men, with a new study that found one in four were at risk of developing what's known as muscle dysmorphia.