The Salvation Army in Fort St. John is thanking the community for its generosity after wrapping up a successful food drive.
The organization’s food bank collected more than 7,000 pounds of food and over $3,000 in donations.
Fundraising coordinator Patricia Budgell said she appreciates the effort of everyone who took part.
She said they took a community-wide approach to the food drive, which ran from September 22 to 28. Local businesses and schools participated, and information on how to donate was posted in every grocery store across the city.
Budgell said 12 percent of the city’s population access the Salvation Army’s food bank every year.
So far in 2025, she said the number of people visiting the food bank has increased, at a time when donations have decreased.
Budgell explained that the generous donations helped restock the shelves of the food bank, which had been very empty throughout the year.
She added that the food bank will not have turkey or ham available ahead of Thanksgiving on Monday.