Food Not Bombs (Facebook)

By Liam Verster

Food (Not Bombs) Hampers

Local group seeking support to launch food hamper program

Jun 13, 2021 | 7:00 AM

The Grande Prairie Chapter of Foods Not Bombs is planning to launch a food hamper program, and is asking the public for support in getting the initiative off the ground.

Mackenzie Beck with Food Not Bombs Grande Prairie says they group has launched a Go Fund Me campaign to raise money.

Beck says they are still in the very early stages of setting up this program.

“What we’re hoping is we’ll set it up so that we’ll have people who can volunteer as drivers, raise some money to make the hampers, and try to source goods from people, like ask anyone to donate non-perishable goods and stuff like that. Then we’ll figure out where are the people who need them, and then we can deliver them to people.”

Beck adds that figuring out who actually is in need and how to provide them with the hampers is another specific that needs to be worked out.

“I’ve been thinking about setting up a form that people can sign, or send in a request to our email or something. It is still in it’s infancy, this project, so that’s still something we are trying to figure out.

“We’re also thinking of talking to some other groups like shelters around town, just to get a sense of where the people are who would benefit from this sort of thing.”

The Go Fund Me has a target goal of $600, which Beck says is a modest goal, as they’re also asking people to donate items to go directly into the hampers.

“We’re thinking of coming up with a list of items that people can specifically purchase, or donate a specific amount to be like ‘donate so many dollars for these canned goods’ so that people can know exactly what they’re helping buy.”

Along with food items, toiletries and personal hygiene items, fresh socks and gloves, and other staple items, Beck says what exactly the Food Not Bombs hampers will contain and how much they will cost to assemble is still up in the air, and the details and will be discussed at their next virtual meeting on June 23.

“We don’t know how much money we’re going to end up having and we don’t know how much stuff we’re going to get from donations from people, and that really determines how big we can make each hamper. Like, do we want to make a lot of hampers that maybe are a bit smaller or do we want to make a few hampers that are kitted out? That’s a decision that needs to be made by the group.”

The group, which is all volunteer-based and run, also provides bagged lunches once a week to the users of the Oasis Church’s mat program. Beck says if they can get more community involvement then they will be able to provide those meals more frequently.

Anyone who wants to get involved in the Food Not Bombs Grande Prairie chapter can join their Facebook group or email Beck at foodnotbombsgp@gmail.com.

Food Not Bombs is a global movement with the goal of bringing awareness to the fact that while military spending keeps rising, more and more people are going hungry. The group’s goal is not to effect policy changes, but take direct action or create programs to help care for those in vulnerable situations.