CANORA, SASK.- “We need everything: soups, meat, breakfast cereal – you name it.”
Pastor Mavis Watson, volunteer administrator at Filling the Gap Food Bank in Canora, said the needs are great with no signs of letting up.
“The cost of everything is going up, leading to more people needing the help of the food bank,” said Watson. “At the same time, many families who may have bought and donated beef in the past simply can’t afford it any more.”
Watson said the generosity of Lorne’s Butcher Block in Kamsack for the past several years has been greatly appreciated.
“They have been getting donations of ducks from American hunters for a while. Once again, last year just before Christmas they donated three large boxes full of duck and hamburger sausage. When Lorne found out the meat was going to the food bank in Canora, he donated five more boxes of sausage.”
Unfortunately, Watson said it looks like that generous donation will run out in about a month, so any meat donation in the next few weeks would be greatly appreciated.
“We have been excited to receive several cash donations in recent months, around $500 or $1,000. Unfortunately, even a $1,000 donation doesn’t last long these days. An average hamper to feed one person for four or five days, following guidelines in the Canada Food Guide, costs about $175.”
Cash donations are extremely helpful, providing the flexibility to look for money-saving deals.
With many gardens getting close to harvest time, Watson said donations of garden produce such as cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, onions and potatoes are also much appreciated.
“If we get enough potatoes, we can save some of them for Christmas.”
Watson said the expiry date needs to be checked on any packaged donations, since expired items can not be accepted.
“Unfortunately we can’t accepted any canned good, that’s not allowed according to Public Health rules.”
The Canora Ministerial Association continues to provide oversight for Filling The Gap.
The food bank policy regarding hampers has changed. They are now allowing six hampers per year to needy individuals or families, excluding Christmas.
“If there’s some kind of emergency they could get hampers six weeks in a row, but I would strongly encourage people to space out their hampers over the course of a year,” said Watson.
As time goes on, she said they have been receiving an increasing number of hamper requests from newcomers to Canora, many with special needs whether it be gluten free, Halal, or something else.
“Just recently an immigrant gentleman came to us who had lost his wallet,” said Watson. “That meant he had lost his proof of residency, which you can’t just replace right away by phoning someone. I gave him a gift certificate for the same amount as a hamper. I happened to have some oranges that were donated and I gave those to him as well. He was so happy, said he just loves oranges. But he was walking the Canora streets for days looking for his wallet, I still don’t know the end to that story.”
With school starting in early September, poor families with school-age children are facing an especially difficult challenge. Kids need school supplies and new clothes, and for some families, that means there’s no money left over for food so they rely on the food bank.
“I would encourage those families to visit the Canora Thrift Store, located downstairs in the same building as the Dairy Bar,” said Watson. “You can often find name brand clothes there that kids all seem to want, and some even still have the price tags on them.”
The increasing pressure on food banks is not just happening in Canora. According to information from foodbankscanada.ca, housing and food costs are up more than 25 per cent since 2021, while wages, especially for those in low-income work, have failed to keep pace. For the lowest-income workers, housing now eats up two-thirds of their disposable income, leaving less for food. Even those who are employed are increasingly turning to food banks. In fact, food bank usage among working individuals has reached its highest level ever. Employment is no longer a reliable buffer against poverty, concluded the information.
Even with all of all the challenges, Watson makes a point of showing gratitude to those who have previously made contributions to Filling the Gap Food Bank in Canora.
“We’re grateful. I know home much things cost these days, I’m a senior so I’m trying to survive too. Giving to the food bank is becoming more and more of a sacrifice. I appreciate it more than I can say, great is your reward in Heaven.”
To apply for a food hamper, make a donation of cash or food, or for more information, phone: 306-563-5315. Donation cheques can also be mailed to PO Box 957, Canora, SK. S0A 0L0.
Don't count on social media to deliver your local news to you. Keep your news a touch away by bookmarking Canora Courier's homepage at this link.
Bookmark SASKTODAY.ca, Saskatchewan's home page, at this link.
