Over 38,000 pounds of fresh apples donated to Moosomin Food Share
November 4, 2024, 12:47 pm
Nicole Taylor
On Thursday, October 31, the Moosomin Food Bank received a shipment of over 38,000 pounds of B.C. apples. Sam Campbell, the manager of the food bank, shared that this mass shipment was picked on Tuesday at Sundher Orchards, shipped on Wednesday, and arrived in Moosomin just in time for Halloween.
“We are registered with a non-profit group called Second Harvest,” Campbell explained. “They rescue food that is about to go into the garbage and donate it to food banks and non-profit organizations across Canada.”
Katherine Heck, who frequently reaches out to the food bank, visited recently and noticed that they hadn’t received much lately due to the high demand in larger cities like Toronto. Impressed by the facilities and the community fridge, she contacted Sundher Orchards in B.C., which had a surplus of apples they were giving to Second Harvest. Knowing the Moosomin food bank was partnered with local daycares and schools, she asked if they could take the apples.
At first, Heck mentioned they had a couple of crates available. Campbell agreed, but then she reached back out with even better news: “Hey, we are sending you 38,400 pounds of apples that are on the trailer.”
Sundher Orchards needed to clear out their apples as the season was changing, and instead of letting them go to waste, they decided to donate them to Second Harvest.
“I think a lot of people said no because it was such a large trailer and they couldn’t really get rid of them,” Campbell noted. “There is nothing wrong with them, they are delicious . . . Second Harvest comes back and picks up the crates and everything.”
In total, there were 48 crates of apples, and the food share quickly distributed them, starting with local schools and daycares. As of Friday, they were down to their last crate. The donation has provided fresh fruit to the Moosomin area and many surrounding communities.
“We hit up the schools first and the daycares. We made sure Playfair Daycare in Moosomin got some as well as both schools that they can use for their programs, and they set a bin outside for parents to pick up as well. And then we reached out to Wapella School and daycare who got some, Rocanville School and daycare got some, it went as far as Grenfell school, St. Lazare School, Elkhorn Daycare—it was really amazing how far these apples have gone.”
The apples were free to give away, or people could choose to make a donation to the Food Share.
“We just asked for donations, if it was possible for people to give donations, and we are well over $2,000 for the food bank,” said Campbell.
Campbell says they are open to receiving more shipments of rescued food in the future.
“We told her to keep us in mind if she had a large shipment again, or even a smaller shipment to take. It’s so hard to get food now, so doing it this way to rescue it is wonderful.”
