• Awarded on: April 20, 1999

Gerald Hawranik, Winnipeg, Man.
Pamela Hawranik, Winnipeg, Man.
Governor General's Caring Canadian Award

Gerald and Pamela Hawranik opened Canada's first rural food bank in 1991 in Beausejour, Manitoba. The myth that hunger does not exist in rural areas was shattered by the instant success of the venture, which now serves some eighty families each month. The food bank has enjoyed great community support and is the only one in Manitoba that does not depend on distribution agencies for its food supply. The Hawraniks continue to serve on the board of directors while assisting in the establishment of other rural Manitoba food banks. The continued success of the Beausejour and Area Food Bank has demonstrated the need for such initiatives, and has led to the establishment of similar groups across Canada and the United States.