Three community organizations that work to aid the community – the Boundary Emergency Transition Housing Society (BETHS), Habitat for Humanity Boundary and Whispers of Hope have signed a memorandum of understanding.
The three will work together moving forward and makes sense as the three, in one way or another, help with the well-being of the less fortunate.
The memorandum was signed, fittingly enough, before Christmas, a time of giving.
With all the Christmas lights shining and carols playing, it’s easy to get into the giving mood over the holidays.
The Community Christmas Hampers program is on and there are various giving trees around town but what about after the tinsel and lights are taken down and the trees put away or recycled?
Volunteers for the Community Christmas Hampers program said that extra food is packed into hampers due to the fact that it is a while from Christmas Day until the Boundary Community Food Bank opens in January and they want to sustain people during that period.
The Boundary Community Food Bank says there often isn’t a drop in donations in January, but that is due to the fact that there are donations from December that haven’t been processed but come February and March, there is a noticeable drop.
In fact, food donations don’t pick up again to the fall, the food bank says it receives 60 per cent of its donations (both food and financial) in the months of November and December and you can be assured that isn’t the only time people are going hungry.
Receiving a majority of donations during only two out of 12 months is much too low.
People are to be lauded of course for giving during the holiday season, as giving some time is better than giving at no time but why should the spirit of giving only last during the last two months of the year?
Pick up a few extra cans of food within the next few weeks and drop it off at the Boundary Community Food Bank.
Giving shouldn’t be only limited to the Christmas season as hunger is a something that is always present.
– Grand Forks Gazette