'The people of Sooke are super generous': Residents pitch in for food bank's hamper fund
Shelves are being stocked at the Sooke Food Bank in preparation for the upcoming Christmas hamper season.
“We’re (at) about 300 to 350 for hampers,” said Ben Molesky, director of the Sooke Food Bank.
That’s up from last year's 250, and it's still only November.
With other charities around the capital region hitting capacity, the demand is expected to climb.
“I’m thinking it will be around (another) 10 to 15 per cent,” said Molesky.
It’s an increase that the food bank director says will be met. But it’s going to take a little help from community partners, beginning with the local fire department.
“We have a multi-prong approach,” said Heather Lane, a firefighter with Sooke Fire Rescue.
“We do a 'fill a fire truck' campaign for three weeks.”
For that campaign, members are posted outside of grocery stores, collecting money for the food bank.
On Dec. 10, the department will embark on a door-to-door campaign, coving the entire District of Sooke, asking for donation for the Christmas Bureau.
“We are giving gifts for all families who ask for them,” said Molesky.
To help in that department, the food bank has partnered with the local Pharmasave to run a program called "Tags for Trees."
“Basically, you can come in here and you can grab a tag off the tree and you can make somebody’s Christmas wish come true,” said Deanna Brett, front store manager at Pharmasave in Sooke.
Find a tag with a gift wish on it and purchase the present.
“You can leave it at Pharmasave and we’ll make sure it gets to the right organization,” said Brett. “So it gets into the right happy little hands for Christmas.”
There are two trees, one for the food bank and another for Ayre Manor, which is an assisted-living home for seniors in Sooke.
“Which is extremely thoughtful and it’s very nice to see,” said Molesky. “The people of Sooke are super generous.”
As pressures continue to grow, the community of Sooke is coming together, to make sure every family has a merry Christmas this year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.