Going to the Celebration of Light? Take Greater Vancouver Food Bank donations with you

While the Celebration of Light is a great opportunity to get out and eat your way down to the beach, it's also a chance to give to those who are struggling to feed themselves.

The Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB) will be at all three days of the Honda Celebration of Light (July 29, and August 2 and 5). They'll be stationed at the Park Stage at Second Beach where they'll be collecting non-perishable food donations.

In particular, donations of high-protein, whole grain, lower sodium, and lower sugar items are especially encouraged, such as:

• canned fish, chicken or turkey
• canned black beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans
• dried lentils
• nuts and seeds
• natural peanut butter
• brown rice, barley, and whole wheat pasta
• powdered skim milk
• canned vegetables
• canned fruit
• soups and chili
• hearty stews with 10 grams or more protein

Items that cannot be accepted are:

• homemade items
• expired food
• products containing alcohol
• open packages of food

The Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society will donate a portion of Concord Inukshuk Lounge sales to the GVFB.

Don't have enough room in your bag to carry food items? Forget to take something? You can also make donations online. What's great is that the GVFB is able use their bulk purchasing ability to maximize each dollar of every donation into $3 worth of food.

What's more, each person who donates in person or online will be entered into a contest to win a two-night stay at the Sundial Hotel in Whistler or the Westin Bayshore in downtown Vancouver. Winners will be announced on August 9.

Over 26,500 people use the food bank's services each week.

Imagine this: if every person among the massive hordes that turn out to watch the fireworks donated food, there'd be enough to feed everyone.