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Co-op gives $50,000 to Yk community organizations for food security

coop shot

Community organizations in Yellowknife will soon get a financial helping hand from the Yellowknife Co-op, which announced $50,000 worth of donations. 

In a Facebook post on Sunday, the Co-op said the funding is aimed at addressing food security issues in Yellowknife. 

“The simple fact of it is that the store is busy as heck, we're getting extra sales (and) the board of directors knows it's critical to give money back to the community,” store manager Justin Nelson told NNSL Media. 

“We're a cooperative. Our membership is people from Yellowknife and surrounding communities. We're always there to support food security in Yellowknife. This isn't uncommon. We've given money to YK Cares in the past. We just chose at this particular time to put out $50,000 to the community, more than we normally can because we can afford it now.” 

The YK Food Bank is one of the recipients of the funding and will receive $10,000. The others will be announced later in the week and next week, Nelson said. 

Funding for the Food Bank comes just after the organization restarted its food hamper distribution on Sunday, following a period during which it suspended its operations.   

“Food security has always been the main charitable donation that the Co-op has tackled. Now that (the Food Bank) is back up and running we hope it will make a great impact,” said Jeff Kincaid, Coop’s business development manager.

The donations will come in the form of gift cards that are redeemable at Co-op.

NNSL has reached out to the Food Bank for comment on the donation.

Earlier in April, Co-op donated $500 worth of gift cards to Yellowknife Education District No. 1 for its food outreach program. Families can access the cards at the Co-op store.