DPM Essex supports Food Bank

The following article appeared in the Essex Free Press.

DPM Insurance of Essex is an on-going supporter of the Essex Area Food Bank and last Thursday was no exception when they showed up with the proceeds from their annual golf tournament.

"Each year we have a golf tournament," said Doug Barnett of DPM. "This year it was in Chatham."

DPM has offices in five towns in southern Ontario and each year they come together to raise money for their respective local charities. The Essex office always gives their share of the proceeds to Eileen Clifford at the local Food Bank.

This year the tournament raised $1025 for the Food Bank. Intact Insurance made an extra donation to each of DPM's charities that added an extra $300 to the total of $1325.

DPM also sponsors holiday turkey and ham drives in partnership with local grocers, and makes other various contributions throughout the year.

"We do it because we think you do good work," Cindy Barnett explained to Clifford.

Doug explained that it began with DPM making a donation to the local charity and after seeing the work they do and the number of local families who rely on the food bank it became an important cause to them.

"It's not just seasonal," he said. "It's relevant 365 days a year."

Cindy explained that one of the things they like about the food bank as a charity is that you can see your donations in action.

"Some charities, you give them money and you don't know what happens to it," she said. "Here you can see where it goes everyday right here in our community."

Clifford says the food bank is still very busy. She considers 60 families in one day a "small crowd."

The food bank is open Tuesdays and Thursdays and Clifford says it's common to serve between 75 and 80 families on each of those days.

She says as busy as they are, the community has been right in step with support.

"We're getting a lot of donations," she said. "People are very good to us."