During 2012, Valley First shattered its 6,500 pound target by collecting more than 19,000 pounds of food for food banks across the Okanagan, Similkameen and Thompson valleys.
In recognition of its 65th anniversary, in February 2012, Valley First challenged its employees and communities to collect 6,500 pounds of food in its Feed the Valley challenge. The branch that collected the most food on the way to that target would net $6,500 for their local food bank partners.
After surpassing that initial target in less than four months with the Valley First Armstrong branch leading the charge collecting 1,950 of food, Valley First re-issued the challenge offering another $6,500 for food collected until the end of the year.
The lion’s share of the 19,000 pounds of food donations was collected by the small Similkameen town, Keremeos. In 12 months, the branch raised close to 12,000 pounds of food and netted $6,500 for the Cawston & Area Food Bank.