It was a tough year for the Westlock and District Food Bank that ended on a positive note.
In the late spring the volunteer-run program nearly collapsed, but food bank representatives put the word out and the community responded.
“It was a nervous time, for sure,” said food bank vice-president Elaine Keller.
“We almost closed and now we don’t think we’ve ever seen such wonderful support,” added bank volunteer Wanda McMillan.
Back then, as now, the economic downturn had local families struggling to put food on the table.
“The cost of groceries was going up for us, and the fact that we had more children and large families than ever was scary.”
After the outpouring of cash and food donations from many local businesses, churches and schools throughout the Westlock area, the food bank is now doing better than ever.
“The community has been amazing,” Keller said.
“Individuals, organizations and businesses have been absolutely amazing. Almost every business in town has had a box out … We’ve had truckloads from different businesses come in… It has been absolutely amazing.”
It doesn’t surprise Keller that the close-knit community was able to pull together to bring the organization back from the brink.
Program participation typically climbs throughout the holiday season, but this year’s donations, she said, have exceeded anything she’s seen in her 15 years at the food bank.
“This year, it’s been beyond what it’s ever been before,” Keller said.
“It’s absolutely the biggest Christmas we’ve ever had.”
McMillan is especially pleased to see the extra donations roll in as demand peaks around this time of year.
“There’s markedly more people who have come in,” she said.
“There’s a lot of children — they say it’s usually around a third of the people that benefit from the program are children.”
A tough year for Alberta’s economy has also added an extra burden on the program. Many families are seeking aid for the first time, a shameless necessity, Keller pointed out.
“We’ve seen everything,” she said. “Some people have been injured at work who had really good jobs, but they have a family to support; some people have been laid off.”
There are also many in the community who have used the public resource in the past and now find it in them to give.
“I think they want to give back,” Keller said. “One of the people who came in said that her family used it when she was young and it’s time to give back.”
One of the reasons she thinks the food bank has had such strong support is because residents know that 100 per cent of their donations go towards helping families.
The Westlock and District Food Bank is run by volunteers and all cash donations go towards buying groceries to supplement non-perishable donations.
“Part of the reason they support [us] is that all of it goes where it’s supposed to go. The Westlock Elks give us the space and nobody gets paid,” she said.
“If someone gives us a cheque for $100, it all goes to the people that need it.”
It also warms their heart, she thinks, to know that their donations are going towards helping someone they know lives in the community.
“People want to give locally,” she said. “There just aren’t a lot of local charities.”
