Food Bank announces annual fundraiser

Board member Richard Dinnes tells reporters that it is important to get the word out about the North Bay Food Bank's annual event Monday at City Hall.

The North Bay Food Bank announced the date of its annual gala dinner and auction in front of city council Monday night. It will be held at Churchill’s on September 21st and the announcement was aimed at drumming up support from the city and donations from local businesses for the auction. Board member Richard Dinnes says it’s the food bank’s only fundraiser of the year and they need all the support they can get. He adds supply is adequate for the summer, but they are running low on popular items such as peanut butter and Kraft Dinner and he predicts that they will have to dig into their coffers to keep the shelves full.

“Last year we spent probably in the neighbourhood of 20-thousand dollars to fill in our shelves during the summer, when we don’t have a fundraiser, or food drive on.”

Dinnes adds that they have tried to fundraise in the summer by having a booth at the Heritage Festival and a float during the Canada Day Parade, but there was not enough response. He says September gala is crucial to fill the demand for the fall and Christmas season.

“It’s to offset our major expenses , like our rent and maintenance of our equipment, the freezer and walk in cooler and those bills can run really, really high.

Dinnes says he is announcing the date in early in hopes of receiving donations for the auction and to sell tickets.

Ticket costs will be $125 dollars per person, or $1000 for a table of ten, however; donations are always gladly accepted. The food bank helps close to 12-hundred people in the North Bay area. Those interested in donating or buying tickets to the gala can contact the bank at 495-3290.