Support for charities helping the vulnerable during the pandemic keeps on coming.

United Way of Southern Interior B.C. (UWSIBC) distributed PPE to Okanagan charities for a second time. But this time, they also had distribution centres in Penticton and Vernon in addition to the one in Kelowna.

This time, 17 organizations received supplies in Kelowna. In total, United Way supplied PPE to 35 charities throughout the Okanagan.

United Way91裸聊视频檚 marketing and communications manager Marianne Dahl said Friday91裸聊视频檚 (June 12) was the last one.

91裸聊视频淭his is because the Emergency Community Support Fund will enable our charity partners to apply for funding to buy PPE, so they can get it on their own and get as much as they need when they need it rather than waiting for us to provide them,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淭his was a stop-gap to allow them to get their emergency needs and then moving forward, the Emergency Community Support Fund which is federally funded will help us supply our partners with a grant so they can purchase their own PPE.91裸聊视频�

Food For Thought project coordinator Cheryl Hoffman said the supplies from United Way are instrumental in helping them continue to serve the community.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e kept our group very very small since COVID-19 broke out. We have a small but fierce army making food packages. We91裸聊视频檙e now going into our twelfth week of making food packages for children that are at risk of food insecurity so this PPE has made all the difference in our ability to work safely and for everyone to be comfortable,91裸聊视频� she said.

Food For Thought usually runs a breakfast program as well as a weekend backpack program for students in School District 23. But as the pandemic closed down schools, the group combined the two programs.

91裸聊视频淣ow, we91裸聊视频檙e using school trucks to deliver food to each school. We91裸聊视频檙e delivering food to 30 schools throughout West Kelowna, Kelowna and Lake Country. This way, a student, parent or guardian can easily walk or drive to the local school to pick up their food package.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淎 lot of people don91裸聊视频檛 have the means or vehicles to go to food banks and this has just made all the difference for them.91裸聊视频�

For more information on Food For Thought, visit their website.

READ: United Way provides PPE to Okanagan charities

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