CAN-do

Union County residents have a shining opportunity to help their neighbors Saturday, as the Union County Community Action Network — or CAN — launches its second annual food drive at various local locations.

Collection bins will be set out and manned by volunteers from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Grocery Outlet, Wal-Mart, Safeway, Albertsons and at Eastern Oregon University’s Community Stadium during Saturday’s football game with Carroll College. Those bringing a donation to the game will get a dollar off the price of admission.

“The food banks are reporting that they’re seeing people they’ve never seen before,” Hibbert said. “From the employment office, we’re hearing that unemployment benefits have run out for many. People are finding themselves without resources.”

Union County’s unemployment rate has been running in double digits for months. In September it was 10 percent. Carmen Gentry, director of the food bank program at Community Connection, has said that pressure on area pantries is continually on the rise. The food collected Saturday will be divvied up among the county’s food banks.

Last year, the food drive netted about 15,000 pounds of food and $6,000 in money donations. That was good, but organizers hope for an even better showing this time around.

“Whatever anybody can give is appreciated,” Hibbert said. “Knowing there’s a downturn in the economy, we’re asking people to be generous.”

Banner Bank gave the drive a head start last month by donating a pick-up truck load of food to Neighbor-to-Neighbor ministries.

And this week, Anderson-Perry and Associates, a local engineering firm, made a significant food donation as well. Employees chipped in $400 worth of food, and the company matched that.

CAN, an ad hoc group of volunteers from both the private and public sectors, is bolstered in the food drive effort by a variety of community partnerships. The partners include EOU, the city of La Grande and Union County, La Grande Soroptimists and the Boy Scouts.

Hibbert said the Soroptimists are helping to man collection stations, as are EOU students, local Girl Scouts and individual volunteers.

The Boy Scouts, as part of their annual Scouting for Food program, are going door to door collecting food. They will also pick up donations from people who can’t get out to the collection sites. To have items picked up, call 541-624-5699.

In addition to donations of food, CAN is encouraging money donations. Checks should be made payable to United Way of Eastern Oregon at P.O. Box 862, La Grande 97850. To make a donation by debit or credit card, call United Way at 541-962-0306.

CAN has compiled a list of preferred items that includes canned fruits and vegetables, boxed pastas or dinners, rice, ready-to-eat food like granola and trail mix, soy milk, peanut butter, canned meats, fruit juice, infant formula and canned soups and chili.