JAK’s Beer Wine & Spirits wants to help stock food bank shelves at a time when demand for food assistance is on the rise.
On Saturday, June 25, all 13 JAK’s locations, including the store at 517 Seventh St. in uptown New West, are kicking off the “summer sipping season” by raising funds for food banks. Stores will donate 10 per cent of that day’s sales to food banks in the fourth annual JAK’s Gives Back campaign.
“Summer is our busy season and it’s the most challenging time of year for our food banks, making it the best time to give back and raise a glass to our local food banks,” said Tim Dumas, JAK’s chief operation officer, in a news release. “Our message is simple: join us in-store or online on June 25 to stock up on your favourite beverages and in doing so, help stock the shelves of your local food bank — there’s no catch.”
With 13 locations in B.C., JAK’s donations will help stock the shelves at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, Richmond Food Bank, SHARE Food Bank in Coquitlam, St. Joseph's Food Bank in Mission, Salvation Army Food Bank in Penticton and the Campbell River Food Bank.
“The Greater Vancouver Food Bank is thrilled to be the recipient of JAK’s Gives Back campaign again this year,” said David Long, CEO of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. “Recently, we have seen an increase in new clients using the food bank; in April, we registered 825 new clients.”
According to Long, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank distributed 7.1 million pounds of food across New Westminster, Burnaby, Vancouver and the North Shore last year.
“We are on track to hit eight million pounds this year,” he said. “This is all possible because of generous supporters like JAK's. Thank you, JAK’s, for raising funds and awareness for the GVFB.”
