Hawkesbury resident Ricardo Nincheri is launching a donation program in collaboration with Asselin Independent Grocer aiming to collect food and other goods for local foodbanks.
“We only can count on each other, and that’s what we’re doing” said Nincheri.
The program, called One Item a Week, aims to incentivize people to donate one item per week for local food banks. One Item a Week installed food donation boxes near the exit at Asselin Independent Grocer. Nincheri also set up a banner with a list of items necessary for the foodbanks at the moment.
“The grocery stores are being very kind to accept the idea and to let us promote it” praised Nincheri. “M. Asselin has a good vision.” To promote the program, Asselin Independent Grocer will also insert pamphlets in grocery bags after purchases.
All food goods will be given to the local food bank.
By the people, for the people
“People want to help but don’t always know what they can do” said Nincheri. He says he was inspired by the story of a man, Peter Norback, in Arizona who had started a donation program. Norback asked his neighbours to leave a can of food on their porch so that he could collect them and redistribute them to local food banks.
Nincheri saw this idea and thought it could be simplified by promoting donations inside of the grocery stores themselves.
The program is beginning in Hawkesbury, but its founder has bigger goals. “I want it to be like a spiderweb. We’re trying it at Asselin and if people like it, we’ll try to get it into other grocery stores” said Nincheri.
Nincheri has already discussed with Foodland in Vankleek Hill and Fresco in Hawkesbury but no partnership has been officialised yet. He hopes to convince people in other cities and municipalities to talk to their local grocery stores and foodbanks to grow the program all across the region.
For now, he is working alone on the project. “We’re going to see how this goes “said Nincheri enthusiastically. “I’m sure we’ll find volunteers when we need them.”
The One Item a Week program is in it’s second week of operation at Asselin Independent Grocer.
