Sizzling chocolate gross sales assist triple donations for Central Okanagan Meals Financial institution – Kelowna Information

Money raised for food bank

Photo: Downtown Kelowna Association

The Central Okanagan Food Bank has received donations from the Downtown Kelowna Association through their Winter Street Market.

A hot chocolate fundraiser held at Kelowna’s Winter Street Market and Light Up on Saturday, Dec. 10 brought in $4,000 in sales, which the DKA says will all go towards helping the food bank.

To help drive up sales for the food bank, hot chocolate was marked at $5 and specially branded Winter Street Market mugs were on sale for $10.

The DKA says this $4,000 will help nourish the community this holiday season.

According to the Downtown Kelowna Association, the Central Okanagan Food Bank can provide up to three times worth of food for clients through their buying power with local grocery retailers.

“What’s significant about this is that the Central Okanagan Food bank has serious buying power, so now that $4,000 can become $12,000,” said DKA executive director Mark Burley.

The Central Okanagan Food Bank says they’ve seen a 30 per cent increase in the number of people needing to access their services this year. This amounts to over 5,500 people being served monthly, with 34 per cent of those people being children under 15, and 22 per cent being seniors living on a fixed income.

The Downtown Kelowna Association is looking forward to continuing this tradition at the Winter Street Market for years to come as part of their commitment in supporting the Kelowna community.