Youth across the Pembina Valley canvassed their respective communities Wednesday evening in an effort to fill up the shelves at their local food banks.

Officials with the Rhineland and Area Food Bank in Altona report just over 6,000 pounds of food was collected in that community as part of the annual Farm Credit Canada Drive Away Hunger campaign.

Just over 7,000 pounds of food items were collected in Winkler.

Menno Giesbrecht, the Secretary Treasurer for the Winkler Food Cupboard, says the food drive is one of their most helpful sources of donations. "People don't realize, but we hand out anywhere between two to three thousand pounds - up to four maybe - per week."

As one of their major sources of food income during the year, Giesbrecht says it's nice too see the youth join forces for the evening. "It gives them an opportunity to serve the community and be with their fellow people, their friends, and do something together," he says.

Before coming to the bank to help transfer the boxes of food from the truck beds into the food bank, Giesbrecht stopped by the church where the youth were helping sort and label donations. He was amazed at the large number of kids and leaders that came out, and how happy they all were.

Giesbrecht also noted that many people ask why there is a food bank in Winkler to begin with, but with 50-70 families coming through every week, there is a need. "There's a lot of people in this community that need us. It's the Lord's work and we're very happy to do it. We're just instruments."

There were many smiles as people passed by each other with their arms full of goods. "We've been treated very well by the community, and the churches. It's really good, we're very happy," adds Giesbrecht.

Nick Friesen is Vice-Chair and says, "it's a joy working here actually . . . we all like it."

Giesbrecht extends "a great big thank you to the community, to all the donors . . . we appreciate all that."