Save-On-Foods donated $1,537.25 in gift cards and cash to the Okotoks Food Bank Association last week.
The supermarket chain holds an annual fundraising campaign, Share It Forward, on behalf of food banks across Western Canada.
“It is a one-week campaign held in all of the Save-On-Foods grocery stores in these three provinces (Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C.),” said Pamela McLean, executive director of the Okotoks Food Bank Association. "A portion of the sales of all of the Western Family food products sold during this period is donated to their local food banks."
McLean said the annual donation is usually used for specific programs offered by the Okotoks Food Bank, with this particular donation being used to help pay for food purchased to go into the Thanksgiving Hamper program that is held in October.
When talking about the partnership between the food bank and Save-On-Foods, McLean said, “The Okotoks Food Bank has established relationships with all of the local grocery stores in Okotoks. They are wonderful supporters of our mission to provide emergency food services to local families in need.”
According to McLean, Save-On-Foods has always been an active supporter of children and families in Western Canada.
“We like to be involved with the community,” said John Perry, store manager of Save-On-Foods in Okotoks, "so it was our way of giving back to everybody and since the demand for food banks has been ramping up every single year."
The campaign took place in June.
