July Newsletter

Katimavik Food Drive (formerly Annual Bottle Drive) July 4th
Keep your eyes peeled for our energetic Katimavik volunteers who are organizing a food drive to help stock the shelves here at the Food Cupboard and at Kootenay Kids, while also raising funds for Heart to Heart. They will have a table set up at the entrance of the Chako Mika Mall and outside the Kootenay Coop on July 4th with coffee and baked goods, hoping to encourage Nelson residents to donate food and/or funds. Thank you for your support!

Charity Status
I am pleased to announce that the Nelson Food Cupboard Society is now officially a registered charity! What this means is that monetary donations over $20 can now be issued a charity receipt directly by us rather than the Nelson United Church. Cheques, therefore, can now be made out the Nelson Food Cupboard Society. Thanks to all of the Board Members and to Marya our former coordinator for all of their hard work getting this established, and to the Nelson United Church for many years of kindly writing charity receipts for us!

Harvest Rescue
It’s time to begin planning for the abundant fruit that grows each year in and around Nelson! Calls are already coming in for cherries, and Harvest Rescue is currently seeking volunteers as the summer progresses. If you have a fruit tree and would like to donate a portion of the harvest, please register your tree before the fruit ripens. To volunteer, call or email to get on the list before it is too late! Call 250-551-8343 or email harvestrescue@gmail.com.

Local Food
We have thoroughly enjoyed the weekly boxes of spring greens that we have been getting from Soil Matters farm over the past few months. While these spring boxes are coming to an end, we will continue to support our local farmers and will be getting 4 weekly boxes of veggies from Glade Valley Garden over the rest of the summer. Thank you to the Columbia Basin Trust for the $500 grant to help us purchase of these veggie boxes.

Still Calling all Potential Board Members
The Nelson Food Cupboard Society has an opening for a Treasurer on its Board of Directors. The Board is responsible for the governance of the Society, and to some degree the daily operations of the Food Cupboard. The Board meets monthly (evenings) and often helps to plan various annual fundraisers and programs. Joining a Board of Directors is a fun and rewarding way to become more involved in your community, while at the same time gaining valuable leadership skills. Any interested individuals are invited to contact Laura Gareau.

Composters Needed!!
As Harvest Rescue is now underway and we are preparing to receive large quantities of fresh produce throughout the summer, we are looking for people who are willing to take home some of our compost. In the summer months fruit flies become a major problem for us, despite our best efforts to keep all produce covered and/or in the fridge. Taking away any amount of compost on a regular basis would help us out tremendously!

Goodbye to our Katimavik participant
We have had the pleasure of working with Simon, a Katimavik participant, since the middle of April every Monday and Wednesday morning. The group will be leaving Nelson in early July. Here is what Simon had to say about his experience at the Food Cupboard:

My name is Simon and I’m from Sherbrooke, Quebec. Working at the Food Cupboard has been a fantastic experience, especially with the dynamic team that was always upbeat and made the work fun. I’ve learned a great deal over the three months that I spent here.

THANK YOU to everyone who generously donates time, money and food to the Nelson Food Cupboard!