PEI

Charlottetown food bank looking for reusable grocery bags

Charlottetown's Upper Room Food Bank has been working to prepare for P.E.I.'s ban on single-use plastic checkout bags, but is still looking for donations of reusable ones.

Food bank has been saving up

An Upper Room Food Bank volunteer stacks food on the shelves to help keep up with higher demand during the colder winter months. (Laura Meader/CBC)

Charlottetown's Upper Room Food Bank has been working to prepare for P.E.I.'s ban on single-use plastic checkout bags, but is still looking for donations of reusable ones.

Executive director Mike MacDonald said the food bank was saving up through the first half of the year for when the ban came into effect on July 1, and had about a month's supply. In the first few weeks of July about another month's worth has been donated.

"It's something that will be new to us and hopefully people will think about donating these bags to us," said MacDonald.

"Hopefully also once we get some into the hands of our clients that they'll come back with their bags as well."

Clients are given their food in cardboard boxes if they have a car or a drive, but those who are walking, are given their food in bags.

MacDonald said the food bank used to purchase plastic grocery bags to have on hand when dividing up large donations of vegetables, but the switch is being made to paper bags. 

More P.E.I. news

With files from Angela Walker