Loyalist grad helps food bank with unique fundraiser

By Andrew Heliotis

With increasing needs at the local food bank, a Loyalist grad is continuing an unusual idea to collect 4,000 pounds of goods this week.

It’s called Fill-That-Bus, and without it, Gleaners Food Bank may struggle to make it through summer.

As part of her Public Relations class, Erica Holgate pitched the Fill-That-Bus idea to teachers and students in 2010.

“That particular year was when Jim Parkhurst passed away and they used to do all the Christmas parades. When he passed that year in November I had an idea that we should fill a bus, just like Jim would of. After the first year we raised 3000 pounds of food we decided it was something we should continue,” says Holgate.

Outfitting a Parkhurst double decker bus with lights and music, Holgate and her team hits the streets of Belleville, collecting donations from businesses.

After a long day, the bus parks for the evening at a central location in the community.

“This has been the first year we have seen a lot of people actually come out and participate in the community side of things. We filled four barrels based off community donations, which is awesome,” she says

Now in its third year, Fill-That-Bus has collected over 13,000 pounds of food.

This year, Holgate and her team set their sights high.

“Our goal was to almost double again but it’s been a little bit slower this year. We have seen a lot more in the monetary donation, which will go a long way because Gleaners can buy things at cost,” she said.

For Susanne Quinlan and the rest of the staff at Gleaner’s food bank, summer means an apparent lack of donations.

“Schools are closing so they don’t do anymore food drives. Summer is when we can spend up to $40,000 buying food because donations are down so much,” she said.

Gleaners had a great deal of help in getting through these difficult months.

Of the $1,100 raised already, Gleaners can purchase roughly 2,500 pounds of food.

“It’ s nice having this amount of food to help us get through the summer, because in October we do our citywide food drive. That can bring in between 18 and 20 tons of food, so were in a cycle yet again,” stressed Quinlan

This year alone Gleaners has seen an eight per cent increase in families using the food bank.