Harvest Manitoba and Jamaican Association team up for block party

Harvest Manitoba held its second annual Bike Sale & Food Drive Saturday at its 1085 Winnipeg Avenue location. The food bank was selling 75 bicycles that had been donated and refurbished. (Source: Daniel Timmerman, CTV News)

Two non-profit organizations came together this weekend to throw an epic block party and raise money for Manitoba's hungry.

Harvest Manitoba held its second annual Bike Sale & Food Drive Saturday at its 1085 Winnipeg Avenue location. The food bank was selling 75 bicycles that had been donated and refurbished.

Next door, at 1098 Winnipeg Avenue, the Jamaican Association of Manitoba was holding its annual open house with a market, food, and entertainment.

The entire block was closed down for both events.

Colleen McVarish, director of food and fundraising for Harvest Manitoba said the two groups decided to team up after coincidentally holding their events on the same day last year.

"We figured 'we should do this together next year,' so here we are today, doing it together," said McVarish.

Some of the clothing sold at the flea market was donated by Mondetta. Attendees also enjoyed Jamaican cuisine while listening to a DJ and live entertainment.

McVarish said Harvest Manitoba continues to feed more people in our province than ever.

"The increase in food bank usage has gone up even more now than since COVID," she said. "We are now serving 44,000 Manitobans with food bank hampers throughout the province."

She added they've seen a 150 per cent increase in demand for food bank services in the last year.