ATHABASCA/WESTLOCK — In addition to the $65,000 provided to the Barrhead food bank to purchase supplies and cover operating costs, more than $110,000 in provincial grants has been provided to the organizations that operate the Westlock and Athabasca food banks.
Unfortunately, while this funding is much appreciated, these organizations indicate that it has been quickly burned through due to the immense need being experienced by Albertans.
Last November, the Alberta government announced that a total of $20 million would be made available over two years to food banks and related food security organizations, in response to increased demand from the current inflationary crisis.
This year’s funding is being provided via three streams: a Food Bank Grant for all registered food banks in Alberta; a Food Security Grant for unregistered food banks and related organizations; and a Donation Matching Grant wherein the province provided funds equal to the donations received by food banks throughout December.
In the April 11 edition of the Town & Country This Week, it was reported that the Barrhead and District Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) Society received two grants totaling $65,000.
Approximately $50,000 of this money was a donation matching grant, which the FCSS was able to use for both food bank operations and purchasing food. The remaining $15,000 was a food bank grant meant exclusively for buying supplies.
However, a news release issued by Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken’s office last week reveals additional funds for local organizations.
The Athabasca Good Samaritan Ministries Association was the recipient of a $50,000 matching grant, along with a $25,000 food bank grant.
The Westlock and District Food Bank Association received a $17,960 matching grant, along with a $15,000 food bank grant.
Finally, the Athabasca Reformed Congregation received a $3,300 food security grant.
“Food banks are a lifeline for many individuals, providing nutritious meals that would otherwise be unavailable,” said van Dijken, in a release.
"Our government is proud to be the first in recent history to provide support to food banks and other food security organizations. Nobody should never need to wonder where their next meal will come from," added minister of seniors, community and social services Jeremy Nixon.
Athabasca Good Samaritan
Kerri Daniels, president of the Athabasca Good Samaritan Ministries Association, said they were very grateful for the support, but due to the shortage of food in food banks and the high cost of purchasing it, “we will go through this money quite quickly.”
Association secretary Lois Uchytil said they have seen a considerable increase in need due to the closure of the Smoky Lake and Boyle food banks, forcing their clients to come to Athabasca.
In particular, the people coming from Athabasca are “starving,” said Uchythil.
“We’ve had some incredible situations happen here lately. They couldn’t' even wait for us to get the food loaded into their vehicles; they were diving into the hampers and just gobbling up the food.”
Daniels said it was very evident that some people had not eaten in a while, while Uchytil said there were some who even ate unmicrowaved frozen TV dinners because they were too hungry to wait.
"There’s some hunger out there that a lot of people don’t know about,” Uchytil said.
Daniels noted their clientele has increased to 2,600 families, and with there being roughly four people in each family, that means they are providing food to more than 10,000 clients.
Uchytil said people pick up food by appointment except for one Wednesday each month where people can simply drive up to get supplies.
She said the last "drive-through" Wednesday in mid-March was probably the busiest day they’ve experienced in about 28 years of operation, noting that they gave away $12,000 in meat that one day.
"Needless to say, we are scrambling for food continually here, either donations of food or donations of finances to buy food,” Uchytil said.
Daniels noted that a lot of their clients are working minimum wage jobs, and between the cost of food, gas, power and electricity and other expenses, they’re barely getting by at the best of times.
Daniels said more consistent funding would definitely help the situation, but it would also help if grants came in a timely manner; sometimes, they receive grants only shortly before the deadline they are given to spend it.
It would be helpful if they could get assistance with purchasing a proper delivery vehicle. Both Uchytil and Daniels said local volunteers have worn out their personal vehicles delivering food to all the communities their organization serves, which are as far flung as Plamondon, Grassland, Smith and Tawatinaw Valley.
Besides the fact that volunteers’ vehicles are unrefrigerated, they also can only fit so much supplies at a time.
Unfortunately, provincial grants and personal donations tend to be focused on buying food exclusively.
“If they want us to reach everyone out in the rural areas, then we need support with a vehicle to reach them properly,” Daniels said. “That’s one thing we’re really struggling with.”
Incidentally, if anyone is interested in assisting the association with a delivery vehicle, they may contact the group at 780-675-3556.
Westlock Food Bank
Sharon Kennedy, president of the Westlock and District Food Bank Association, said they quickly used up both the $15,000, which they received around December, and the $17,960.
“We probably spend $5,000 to $6,000 per month on food,” she said.
Kennedy noted that after speaking to a member of the provincial FCSS board, she believed that they may be getting more money in the future as they were handling the distribution of funds.
As reported by the Town & Country This Week in January, according to statistics kept by the Westlock Food Bank, the organization served 2,713 people in 2020, 3,102 clients in 2021 and 4,220 in 2022.
In the first two weeks of 2023, Kenney indicated they put together 70 food hampers and served 210 people, along with 80 children.
Currently, they put together around 30 to 40 hampers per week and serve 80-plus clients.
While many of their clients are families with multiple children, Kennedy said they are also serving an increasing number of seniors.
“There are a lot of seniors out there (that only) get Old Age Security and the provincial supplement. Especially some women, because they never worked. They were stay-at-home moms, and they raised their families … but they didn’t ‘work’ so they don’t qualify for Canada Pension,” Kennedy said.
Unfortunately, the Westlock Food Bank has also seen a decrease in donations of around 30 to 40 per cent.
“We’re definitely on the lookout for more (grant money),” Kennedy said.
Athabasca Reformed
Regarding the $3,300 grant for the Athabasca Reformed Congregation, Pastor Al Plat indicated in an e-mail that they have an active ministry to the First Nations community in Calling Lake, with Pastor Nathan Gullion ministering there on the congregation’s behalf.
Plat said that as part of this ministry, they deliver about 100 hampers per month from the Good Samaritan Mission to Calling Lake, and the grant is being used to cover some of the transportation cost.
Plat indicated they had hoped to receive $3,300, adding that they were very grateful to receive this money.
“We’re experiencing really high need right now, so this is very welcome.”
