Extra Helpers Spring National food bank starting at Summerside Atlantic Superstore

S. RYAN QUIGLEY

JOURNAL PIONEER

CAPTION: (Left to right) Mary Noye and Debbie Clark of Atlantic Superstore stand next to Marj Montgomery of the Salvation Army near the box for the Extra Helpers National Food Bank in Summerside Thursday afternoon at the Atlantic Superstore. Photo Quigley/ Journal Pioneer

SUMMERSIDE- The Atlantic Superstore is helping stock the shelves for the Salvation Army food bank.
The Prince County Extra Helpers Spring National food bank hosted by the Salvation Army and Atlantic Superstore is began Thursday at the Atlantic Superstore.

The drive, which is taking place between April 14 to the 26, is aimed to help raise food donations for the Salvation Army.

There will be a box and carts placed in the Atlantic Superstore for donations and cashiers will also take money donations from those interested. The money and the food will all go to the Salvation Army. The store will have several stickers up for the promotion to help guide customers to items that would be well suited for donation.

The promotion has been done before and had success in the past said Superstore Community co-ordinator Mary Noye.

“It’s been great the couple of times, one much more successful than the other. It depends on the season sometimes I think it gets mixed with the other things that are going on.”

The goal for Superstore is to fill the donation box as much as possible, said Superstore Assistant Manager Debra Clark.

“There’s so many people in our community that need our help and we’re a big store and we have a lot of staff that like to help and we have the environment that we can help in.”

Usage is up, but donations are down so the need to fill the food bank shelves before the summer months when everyone goes on vacation and donations are slow is high, said Salvation Army family co-ordinator Marj Montgomery.

“Donations are down so we have to fill those cupboards before the summer hits or we’re going to be in an emergency situation.”

There is some back up stock, but the Salvation Army needs more, said Montgomery.

“We have a rough idea where things are going so we do need those donations to come in. Hopefully with this promotion the Atlantic Superstore is putting on this is going to fill our shelves or at least help us fill them.”

The Superstore and Prince County are always great supporters of the Salvation Army and they’re appreciative, said Montgomery.

“We can’t do what we do within the community of Prince County without the help of everybody,” said Montgomery. “We have such a great support base in Prince County.”