An effort to feed hungry families in the province brought in nearly 20,000 lbs from the Pembina Valley.

Gordon Ginter helped set up food collection bins in the Winkler and Morden communities to supply Winnipeg Harvest with fresh fruit and vegetables. He personally picked up produce from the bins six days a week during the fall.

He explains for many years he's collected excess produce from a number of local sources on his own, but with health challenges he looked for help from the community.

Ginter says Covenant Growers, Gardewine North and the Winkler Sommerfelder Church helped with storage and shipping.

An early believer in the Winnipeg Harvest model, he's been working with the non-profit since their founding in the late 1980's.

He plans on expanding with more collection bins next year.

Winnipeg Harvest shares food through the Manitoba Association of Food Banks and through nearly 400 agencies (including soup kitchens, food banks and youth programs) to distribute surplus food to hungry families all over Manitoba. Nearly 62,000 Manitobans receive food from food banks each month.