Studio Fair donations fill St. Vincent de Paul food bank coffers

If you were one of the hundreds of people who came to Studio Fair carrying donations for the St. Vincent de Paul food bank, take a bow.

You contributed to the one of the largest single-event donations to St. Vinny’s in Prince George history.

Volunteers from the Prince George and District Community Arts Council who organized the three-day artisan show at CN Centre that wrapped up Sunday loaded up 104 banana boxes of non-perishable food items and delivered them to the downtown drop-in centre where St. Vincent feeds hungry people every day.

“We were surprised, we didn’t even know it was taking place, it really was an early Christmas present,” said Bernie Goold, president of the local chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

“Last year (when the pandemic hit), the donations of food dropped right off, but in saying that, people were generous with monetary donations. It really is a gift and it ensures we can send out good quality food hampers for those who are going through challenges. Unfortunately, people challenged by poverty, it’s 365 days a year.”

Goold said some of the donations from Studio Fair will be used for the meal program at the Second Avenue drop-in centre, which provides three meals daily on weekdays and two per day on weekends.

“We are in awe that we’ve been able to continue to serve 365 days a year and the vast majority of the donations and the monetary donations enables us to do that, and we are blessed to be able to do that,” said Goold, who helped found the Prince George branch of St. Vincent’s nearly 40 years ago.

There was no admission charge for Studio Fair, but patrons were asked to make voluntary contributions to the Arts Council and bring food for the food bank. That message obviously resonated through the community.

“I’m absolutely thrilled, I can’t get the smile off my face,” said Lisa Redpath, the Community Arts Council program director. “I think that coming out of COVID, the community spirit is re-lit.

“There are so many people in need out there who are really having hard time, everybody from somebody who doesn’t have a home to live in, to a single mother trying to raise children. Everybody who came to Studio Fair and contributed to that, it’s just amazing.”

St. Vincent’s sent a van to the arena to pick up the food and it had to make several trips.

Redpath said the Arts Council has set up food bank donation bins at Studio 2880 but never to the scale of the CN Centre setup at Studio Fair. She said that will be part of every future Studio Fair.

“We are going to try our best to break our record every year,” Redpath said. “I am extremely motivated by how generous the community is in their support for this year. The event went fine and everybody loved it, but the real value is to see that type of support for people in need.”