(Supplied)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

season of giving

McDonald’s locations in Red Deer & Lacombe collecting items for Red Deer Food Bank

Dec 8, 2023 | 2:41 PM

UPDATE – Dec. 29, 2023

The initiative reported on below raised over $6,400.

(Supplied)

ORIGINAL – Dec. 8, 2023

Red Deer and Lacombe McDonald’s locations are part of a nationwide Season of Giving Food Drive campaign, running Dec. 1-25 locally.

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All items collected at the nine local restaurants (not including Gasoline Alley) benefit the Red Deer Food Bank, which is in dire need.

“It is very important this time of year especially. We recognize people may not have to use the food bank for the entire year, but sometimes there are durations where it’s a little tight like before you get paid or around Christmas because you’re trying to do stuff for your family,” says Neeru Schippel, Red Deer and Lacombe McDonald’s franchisee.

“It may be people in our restaurants, it may be your neighbours. We recognize this is a way for us to give back because you just never know who’s using it.”

This is the third year Schippel’s restaurants are taking part in the Season of Giving campaign.

You can donate non-perishable food items at your Red Deer or Lacombe McDonald’s to participate.

• The Red Deer Food Bank is often in need of the following items: canned meat, canned tomato products, canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned beans, canned soup, canned “heat & eat meals”.
• Other highly requested items are: peanut butter, macaroni and cheese products, rice, pasta, dry cereal, dry soup.
• They also accept baby food and formula, juice boxes and school snacks, pet food, and non-food items like razors, toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap and deodorant.

According to recent data shared by the Red Deer Food Bank, its location at 7429 49 Avenue was accessed 70,219 times between Aug. 1, 2022 and July 31, 2023, a one-year span.

Recent info from a Food Banks Canada Hunger Count suggests there were two million visits to food banks by Canadians in March 2023 alone, which is 32 per cent higher than in March 2022, and 78.5 per cent higher than in March 2019.

In addition to the food drive, McDonald’s Canada is donating 500,000 meals’ worth to Food Banks Canada which will be distributed across the country.

Not all McDonald’s locations across Canada are participating, and other locations’ events may be running different lengths or vary in nature. Other initiatives have been happening in various locations with Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Check with your local restaurant to see if it’s taking part.