Times are still tough, but people are still digging deep, says Doug Riederer.
The manager of Thrifty Foods in Parksville made the comments Thursday as he handed over $14,967-worth of gift cards to Major Rolf Guenther of the Salvation Army.
The certificates will be used to supplement the donations given to the local food bank, which has seen a sharp increase in clientele over the past two years.
“We are seeing an increase of about 100 families every month over the same time a year ago,” Guenther said. “In 2010 we had 252 families in January and we had 348 in January of this year.”
Guenther noted the total donated this year is about the same as last year, despite the tough economy.
Riederer stressed the gift cards were not donated by Thrifty Foods, but rather, by the store’s customers during Thrifty’s Food for Families campaign over the Christmas season. He said the cards will not only help the food bank purchase items that may not have been thought of when people donate, but they will also help ease them over some of the leaner times ahead.
“There are times when people are very generous and there are other times when they are not so much,” he said.