A food aid organization in Pohénégamook fell victim to misdeeds last week. As the team prepared for the Christmas season for months, food was stolen and Christmas baskets were destroyed.
La Petite Bouffe des Frontières has been preparing to collect food for Christmas baskets since March last year. But last week an event threw the preparations into disarray. Criminals broke into the Lionel-Charest Community Center on October 31 and caused vandalism.
“Unfortunately we discovered that the doors had been smashed. We had prepared many gifts for Christmas baskets. The food was spread out on the floor. The further we walked, the more we realized it was vandalism. Unfortunately, a lot of food was stolen, we didn’t expect so much, explains the organization’s coordinator Valérie Chauty.
VAT News
Around $500 worth of food was stolen and 60 Christmas baskets were destroyed, representing more than half of the planned donations for the period.
With the cost of living rising, demand for food aid is exploding.
“They really are people like you and me. We have much greater demand, but from a much wider audience than before,” she explains.
The community has pulled together since the event. In particular, the city of Pohénégamook, which will provide financial support to cover the losses.
VAT News
“Yesterday we made a donation of $500 to compensate for the loss in the form of damage and stolen goods,” says the city’s general manager, Simon Grenier.
With the media food drive approaching and the community showing solidarity, La petite bouffe des Frontières expects to be able to make up for the delay caused by the October 31 event by Christmas.