Another community program has come to an end.
Quesnel’s Good Food Box has closed its doors for good as of the April distribution.
“The community is losing access to co-op purchase power,” Seniors’ Advocacy Service spokesperson Susan MacNeill said.
“Our volunteers put in 45 – 60 hours a month to bring this program to Quesnel.”
SAS took over Good Food Box a year ago and the numbers have not increased even after a major promotional campaign using multi-media was launched.
“The goal was to reach folks who were struggling to afford fresh produce by the third week of the month,” MacNeill said.
“Distribution was the third Tuesday of the month but customers paid for it at the beginning of the month offering an influx of fresh produce at a critical time of the month.
“We’re saddened by having to make this decision, however our volunteer staff will now have volunteer hours to contribute to their worthwhile community programs.
“So clip your coupons and shop local.”
Many of the volunteers have been with the Good Food Box program since its inception eight years ago and will miss the people, the program and the social contact volunteering their time provided, MacNeill added.
She expressed her gratitude to the dedicated volunteers who made the program possible, including R.J. Proulx, Lilly Bourgeois, Marion Gordon, Lyle Orchison, Mary Ann Sturdy, Marianne Titley, Eileen Seidemann, Tom Mohan, Bobbi Peel, Peter, Ken MacNeill and Rene McDonald as well as the following businesses, Aroma Foods, Extra Foods, Save-On Foods, Safeway and Spartan Printing.
