Gary & Leo's Hometown Hunger Food Drive under way

Gary & Leo's Fresh Food Hometown Hunger Food Drive is under way for this year's holiday season with more than 70 vouchers already purchased.

Store Manager Tracy Job said Gary & Leo's has been holding a food drive every year for the past 15 years.

"It's been a real successful program," Job said.

He said the customers have a chance to purchase a $25 or a $40 voucher when they go through the checkout line. He added that all of the proceeds go directly to Havre Food Bank and the Salvation Army.

"What we have actually been able to do is to make it simple for our customers to help out the folks in the community that are in need of food," Job said.

"(The food drive) is a big deal," Havre Food Bank Director Sam Nimmick said. "It helps us fill all of our holiday boxes for Thanksgiving and Christmas."

She said some of the items they receive have a good shelf life or can be frozen and used in other holiday boxes, such as the Easter Food Box.

Nimmick said the holiday boxes are done in conjunction with the Salvation Army, with the Salvation Army selecting the families and the food bank collecting the food.

"We really appreciate this," Nimmick said, "and it's so wonderful that they continue to do this for us every year. It's been really nice because they are very receptive."

Job said Gary & Leo's works with Havre Salvation Army Social Services Director Trina Crawford so that they are delivering the most useful items.

The food drive consists of mostly food but also includes some paper towels and napkins, Job said.

The $40 voucher that is available includes all the "fixings" for a holiday meal and the $25 voucher purchases the food items that are requested by the Salvation Army, he said. Job said vouchers are available from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve. After the vouchers are purchased, Job added, they are displayed in the store window.

"Over the years, our customers have generally donated just tens of thousands of dollars of food to the local food bank and the Salvation Army," he said.

He added that last year the food drive raised more than $8,000.

"It goes a long way," Job said. "We take the contributions from our customers and these IGA customers are very generous, obviously, and we buy cases of food."

He said when Gary & Leo's first started the food drive, in the store's previous location on First Street West they actually made sacks of food.

"It was so overwhelming when we went to deliver them the food bank just couldn't handle them," he said, adding that "200 sacks of food brought over in a couple of pick ups and they didn't know where to put them."

Job added that from there the food drive has evolved into the voucher system.

It is easy for Gary & Leo's customers to get involved, he said, "That's the magic of it."

He said many people in the community are in need.

"Thankfully, we have a lot of generosity as well," Job said.

The food purchased through the food drive is used in the Salvation Army's Holiday Gift Baskets, he said.

Job said some of their customers look forward to the food drive every year.

"We have customers now that ask us when is the food drive going to begin," Job said.

He added that some large groups or community organizations that come into the store to make a bulk voucher purchase, such as the Lions Club that comes in every year.