Zero Hunger Fund exceeding fundraising target for free food program
GUYSBOROUGH — After less than a year in operation, the Dave Gunning Zero Hunger Fund will likely exceed its $100,000 goal needed to start free food pantries in schools across the Nova Scotia, says the man behind its fundraising campaign.
In an interview with The Journal last week, Hugh MacKay said the initiative – launched by the Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia, and named for the Pictou singer-songwriter who lent his support to the cause last fall after taking over from his late friend and fellow musician Bruce Guthro – has doubled its target to $200,000 by the end of the year.
“We’ve had such success already,” said MacKay, a former provincial MLA and geomatics professional, who has been meeting with community community groups and municipal councils, soliciting both moral and financial support.
“I’ve probably done 15 municipal presentations over the past couple of months. We’re trying to get our message out, bringing people together to discuss local concerns, and then doing fundraising and granting to support those initiatives.”
Penny Day – executive director of the Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia – told The Journal in January that too many students in Nova Scotia are going to school hungry. The problem is especially acute in rural areas, which often don’t have access to the same level of services offered in cities.
“In many rural areas, you have to own a vehicle just to go to the grocery store, and we know that it is expensive to own a vehicle,” she said.
At the same time, she noted, “In rural areas, oftentimes the school is a community hub. It plays the part of a gathering place for parents and students. Having that availability – where students and parents can access these grocery items for free – is becoming more and more important.”
According to MacKay, the Municipality of the County of Antigonish has donated $2,000.
“The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg has already written a check to us for $12,000, so we’ve been quite pleased with the update.”
He added: “We are going to have financial resources for grants that will spread throughout the province. But, whenever possible, we commit to using funds that are donated locally will be used in local schools.”
MacKay is scheduled to speak before the Municipality of the District of Guysborough’s committee of the whole meeting Wednesday, July 3 at 4:30 pm.
Alec Bruce, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Guysborough Journal
