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8- The Oakville Beaver, Friday March 21, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Fareshare counts on Easter food drive By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Easter food drive at Oakville's Fareshare food bank is in full swing. The drive began Saturday, March 15 and continues through Saturday, March 29. In its first few days, the drive was doing well, said Fareshare's volunteer director Dudley Clarke. "In the first three days, things went quite well, but I'll know better next week," said Clarke. The drive aims to collect enough food and cash to stock its shelves through to its next food collection drive at Thanksgiving. About 320 families or more than $1,000 people, half of whom are children, are visiting Fareshare monthly in 2008 -- up from 317 last year. That's not far off the 350 families that were visiting each month during the peak of the recession in the early 1990s. While people may think the food bank is looking to get turkeys during the food drive, it would prefer to have donations of the items it needs year round. Cash donations also help as the food bank uses the money to buy items should they run low and to purchase fresh foods like milk, meat and produce. This Easter's food drive is particularly welcomed at Fareshare as last Thanksgiving's drive did not reap its traditional harvest. In addition to food donations during the Easter food drive, Fareshare needs volunteers for three-hour shifts, or more, to hand "In the first few days, things went quite well, but I'll know better next week." Dudley Clarke, Fareshare volunteer director out food drive paper bags at the Real Canadian Superstore. Students can use the hours for their required community service hours. Those interested can call 905-845-8014. Food donations can be dropped off at the food bank located at 1240 Speers Rd., Unit 6, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday to Saturday, all Oakville fire stations and in all Oakville supermarkets where collection bins have been provided by Fareshare. While all non-perishable donations are welcome with open arms, instead of the usual pasta and canned soup type of donation, Fareshare would prefer to receive the non-perishable items it usually runs short of including: canned fruit, canned vegetables (except corn), cookies and crackers, vegetable oil, canned stew, junior baby food, baby formula and desserts. Cash is also welcomed as it is used to provide mothers vouchers redeemable at local supermarkets for milk and fresh fruit for their children. The Easter food drive helps Fareshare collect much of the 75 to 80 per cent of the food it provides to families in need over the entire year. Fareshare, established in 1988, will mark its 20th year in operation this year and receives no government funding. It is run entirely by the volunteers and depends on donations.