Native Companies Donate to Kelowna Meals Financial institution

The Kelowna Community Food Bank has received a generous donation from local businesses which will help them become more efficient.

An electric forklift was generously donated by Smart Betty, Williams Machinery and nearly 20 other local businesses.

“The Forklift will allow the Kelowna Food Bank’s warehouse to be more efficient by stocking more food more quickly and on higher shelves,” said Food Bank’s Executive Director, Lenetta Parry. “Our warehouse is very much an active, working warehouse. We collect, warehouse and distribute approximately $3.5 million dollars’ worth of food per year. The reality is that there are times when a forklift is mandatory.”

Bruce Maki of Smart Betty Media (left), Stephen Jarvis of WIlliams Machinery (Centre) and Lenetta Parry of the Food Bank (right) (Photo Credit: Kelowna Food Bank)

In the past the Kelowna Community Food Bank has relied on the generosity of Monashee Manufacturing to help provide a forklift and operator to move inventory. Now staff will have the capacity to do the work on their own.

“We are a company that likes to give back to our community in a significant way” said Bruce Maki of Smart Betty Media. “In the spring of 2014, we toured the warehouse and were able to gain a better understanding of the work the Kelowna Food Bank does and the impact this organization has on our community. It was identified that a forklift was on the Food Bank’s wish list and so our team got to work.”

Forklift training for staff and volunteers will begin shortly and then the equipment will be intergraded into daily operations at the Food Bank.

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