The Westlock and District Food Bank finds itself in desperate need of supplies as high-demand, combined with rising grocery costs is leaving the organization’s supply level low.
Food bank vice-president Elaine Keller said despite the generosity of community members and local businesses, the bank requires more help to keep its shelves stocked.
“Relying on the continual support of the community, the Westlock and District Food Bank provides food to hundreds of people in need of a helping hand each month,” Keller said.
“While local businesses continue to generously provide us with discounts and donations, recent economic conditions have caused the price of groceries to increase significantly while causing the number of those in need to grow.”
Normally, the food bank would expect serve approximately 30 people per week, but numbers have grown to 70-100 weekly. As such, the food bank has been forced to reduce the size of its hampers that it hands out to families.
Food bank purchaser Wanda McMillan said users are now being asked to choose between pasta and rice, rather than receiving both, in effort to conserve supplies.
To meet increasing demands, the food bank — a completely volunteer-run organization — needs the community to step up.
“As a result, the funds needed to operate the food bank are depleting at a greater rate than usual,” Keller said. “The food bank relies solely on donations and in order to continue to provide this valuable service, additional funds and food donations are needed at this time.”
While the food bank is asking for the community to step up, it also wants to thank its perpetual donors.
“We do need to remember to say thank you because there are people and businesses that give all the time,” Keller said, adding food bank board realizes that the same economic conditions that are driving people to the food bank are also affecting people’s ability to give.
“The people who are donating people are also hurting in some way.”
Local organizations and service groups help out with crucial monetary, food and in-kind donations which keep the bank open. The bank’s humble home inside Memorial Hall is rent-free thanks to the Westlock Elks.
“Those rooms that we get the Elks give it to us for free, other than that if we had to pay rent, we just couldn’t do it,” said past president Sister Eileen Boyle.
At the current moment the food bank is seeking both monetary and food donations in order to help those in need.
“People think of us around Christmas time, that’s when we get most of the money, but we have to spread it out over the 12 months,” Sister Eileen said. “But this time of the years is really bad.”
Both food or monetary donations can be dropped off at the food bank located at Memorial Hall on Mondays and Thursdays from 1-3 p.m.
Tax receipts are available for monetary donations greater than $20. Arranging a more convenient time to drop off supplies can be made by contacting food bank president Sharon Kennedy at 780-349-4404.
