News and Events
HALIFAX POP EXPLOSION
Dear Friends and Fans,
We here at the Halifax Pop Explosion office were touched recently by a story in the news about a community food bank that is having a hard time providing for the needs of over 300 families that rely on them in our neighbourhood due to lack of food. I am of course talking about the Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank who have since 1983 been providing vital services to families in need from our community and last year serviced 30,000 citizens of Halifax.
Parker Street is in need of our help and it is urgent help they require. Their shelves are not stocked adequately and they need food and donations to continue to support those families in need and we are asking our audience to help and are providing a number of ways to support this worthy local cause.
Halifax Pop Explosion provides a number of FREE concerts including the Stars and Plants & Animals concert on Grand Parade Square Sat Oct 22 as a way of saying thank you to our loyal and amazing fans and want to make these events a benefit to this vital community food bank. We would LOVE to see everyone attending this free concert provide a donation of food or a financial contribution to Parker Street Food Bank.
We will have food and donation collection points on Grand Parade, Festival Registration (Citadel Hotel), CKDU Lobby and at North Street Church for the duration of the festival. As an added incentive we’re happy to provide you a $5 discount on admission to all North Street Church concerts with donation of a food item (non perishable) and for those who pay full cover we’ll be making a $5 per attendee donation to the food bank.
Please help us help our community and those 300 families who rely on Parker Street Food Bank for assistance and enjoy great music at the same time.
For more information on how to donate please visit www.parkerstreet.org and check out www.halifaxpopexplosion.com to find out all about the event.
Sincerely,
Jonny Stevens – Executive Director
Halifax Pop Explosion Association
2151 Gottingen Street, Halifax, NS, B3K 3B5
info@halifaxpopexplosion.com
t 902.482.8176
BACK TO SCHOOL -
URGENT School Starts Sept. 6th
Help young students make the grade!
Back Pack - Back to School Program
Once again this year iNova Credit Union is looking to assist youth with back to school supplies and will be matching funds up to $1,000 that are donated to the Parker Street Food Bank – Back Pack Program.
Please help us send children back to school with the tools they need to build their future.
Donations may be dropped off to iNova Credit Union, 6175 Almon Street (in the Canada Post Building next to the Forum).
For further information please call 453-1145 or email ask@inovacreditunion.coop.
Kool Skool Drive
Pay rent, or buy school supplies? This tough decision is a reality for some families. The Kool Skool Drive reminds you that with the 2012 school year just around the corner, The Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank is in need of school supplies.
For more details on the Kool Skool Drive and the complete list of school supplies needed, visit KOOL965FM DOT CA.
Third Annual Pull for Parker Street - A Success!
On behalf of the Executive Director, Mel Boutilier, Staff, Volunteers and Clients we would like to say THANK YOU!!
The 3rd Annual Pull for Parker Street was a success and we could not have done it without your support and participation. Despite the cold windy weather we had a good turn out of spectators and participants, we had about 14 teams and this year we had two divisions: Competitive and Fun.
Special thanks to the Halifax Fire & Emergency Department for their continuous hard work and support. Special thanks also to our sponsors: Q104, Scotia Bank, and Dartmouth Crossing. Thanks to Sobeys for hosting the BBQ and for their generous donations toward the BBQ. Thanks to everyone that donated gift cards or other items and special thanks to everyone that volunteered. With all of your help we were able to raise over $ 15,000.
Congratulations to Scotia Bank Big Red Assault Team for coming first with a time of 18:93, 2nd place is Royal Bank Almon St. with a time of 19:91 3rd place is Halifax Fire with a time of 20:37 and 4th place is TELUS with a time of 23:26.
Start challenging other organizations and encourage family, friends and colleagues to put in a team for the 4th Annual Pull For Parker Street. Again thank you for your continuous support, donation and or participation. It was all truly appreciated!!
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Third Annual Pull for Parker Street
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“A Night for Parker Street 2010” = $30,000 raised
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On October 29 friends and supporters of the Parker Street Food & Furniture Bank came together for an amazing night of socializing, networking and a little bit of dancing to raise much needed funds for the less fortunate of HRM. Thank you to all for being part of this wonderful evening. Because of your generosity, we raised $30,000 for Parker Street and its programs.
We are very grateful to our committee, our volunteers, the staff of the host venue “The Halifax Club”, and of course our sponsors - your continuous support and contributions changes lives!
Platinum Sponsors: Telus • O’Regan’s Mercedes Benz
Gold Sponsors: JW Lindsay Construction • Bishop’s Cellar
Silver Sponsors: Garrison Brewing • Corby’s
Product Sponsors: Hamachi House • Partridge Photography • City Models • Art & Jules Gallery & Sweet Spot Chocolate
Thank you!
On September 23, a grand celebration was held in honour of our Executive Director Mel Boutilier for his many years of community service. The event - held at the beautiful facilities of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, was a huge success and by all accounts, everyone had a great time feeling inspired by Mel’s life and hard work.
We are grateful to dignitaries including the Lieutenant Governor, The Minister of Community Services and the Mayor, who took time off their busy schedule to celebrate Mel’s accomplishments. Many thanks to our friends, special guests, staff and volunteers who attended. We are especially thankful to our hosts from BIO as we could not have pulled it off without them.
Place your vote for Parker Street today!
You can select us as your favorite charity by visiting www.winavote.com - thank you for your support!
Telus Presents Parker Street With Cheque for $20,000!
The Atlantic Canada community board of Telus graciously awarded $20,000 to the Parker Street Food & Furniture Bank on May 17, 2010 to help improve its communications. The money will be used to purchase a new phone system and provide the existing computer lab with current technology.
On hand for the cheque presentation was Janelle McNulty, Senior Account Manager - Telus, Mel Boutilier, Executive Director - Parker Street, Thomas Gouthro, Director of Development - Parker Street and Ken Power, Director of Telus - Atlantic Canada.
2nd Annual Pull for Parker Street
Thank You!
Please accept our thanks for your participation and generous donation to the 2nd Annual Pull for Parker Street. Your contribution helped bring our total to just over $22,000 for the event! With help from you and other members in our community, Parker Street continues to serve people in need by providing food, furniture, clothing, and education. We also work to offer those less fortunate with essential skills and abilities to confidently enter the workforce and begin to support themselves and their families.
As we forge ahead into future campaigns, please know your generosity will go a long way in helping a family or individual who is currently enduring tough times. In 2009, Parker Street helped over 27,000 people with food and other services and thanks to you, we are able to continue our tradition of reaching out to anyone in need.
We surely look forward to having your continued support and will endeavour to make the 3rd Annual Pull for Parker Street even bigger and better in May, 2011. On behalf of those we serve, our volunteers, staff and Executive Director, we are grateful for your generosity. Please stay tuned for photos and video.
City Centre Atlantic Presents Easter Basket to Parker Street
Management, staff, merchants, contractors, patrons, families and friends of City Centre Atlantic all came together in a big way for Parker Street by filling a massive Easter Basket with clothing, toys, stuffed animals, books, candy and chocolate.
The basket was set up inside the plaza and each day people’s generosity escalated as the amount of donations piled higher and higher. Operations Manager of City Centre Atlantic, Laura Riley says “many people think of others who are less fortunate at Christmas time, but not so much at Easter” and that’s when she got the idea to rally people together for this occasion.
Executive Director Mel Boutilier and volunteers of Parker Street distributed plenty of goodies to families in need on Thursday, April 1st just before the holiday weekend. “We are grateful for everyone’s efforts and contributions towards the basket. This will truly bring many smiles to children’s faces as well as their parents, on Easter Sunday when they are able to provide a nice meal and some treats to the kids,” he said.
On behalf of the staff, volunteers and clients of Parker Street, we extend our many thanks and appreciation to City Centre Atlantic. Happy Easter everyone!
From left to right: Thomas Gouthro - Director of Development & Communications at Parker Street and Bruce Christmas, President - Canuck Management Group & City Centre Atlantic.