The pandemic did not stop Battlefords District Food & Resource Centre/Empty Stocking Fund Inc. from proceeding with this year’s annual general meeting.
Normally the AGM is a major event including a banquet dinner, but COVID-19 put those plans on hold. Instead, this year's meeting was conducted virtually over the ZOOM platform recently.
Executive director Erin Katerynych provided the annual report, and highlights from that report are as follows:
Food Bank Hampers
In the 2019/2020 fiscal year ending February 28th 2020, the food bank gave out an average of 685 hampers per month (02% increase (672 /month) over last year), and served an average of 2009 people a month (03% decrease (2081/month) over last year) with under half (46%) being children 17 and under. The Canadian average for children accessing the food bank is 35%.
Volunteers provided about 4000 hours for the food bank and special events special events.
In addition to food purchased for their programs (such as $12,502.33 for the Milk for Kids program), the value of food raised/donated and given out by the food bank in 2019/20 was $772,007.74 That is up seven percent from a year ago.
Warehouse Distribution
The BDFRC also gave out $48,420.00 to other not-for-profit organizations within the community, including food and nonfood products to programs at six different schools: Lawrence, St. Vital, Battlefords Central, Bready, McKitrick.
They support the Lighthouse on a regular basis and other nonprofits they support include Battlefords Sexual Assault Center, Battlefords Interval House, Battlefords Trade and Education Center, Keanow Family Centre, Battlefords Humane Society and Prairie Pooches. They also assist children’s/teen’s community programs such as KidsFirst, Boys and Girls Club, Concern for Youth, Alliance Church Youth Group, Village Daycare, and Rosthern Youth Camp for special projects.
Christmas 2019 Empty Stocking Fund
In total 1594 people were helped. 48% of those were children aged 13 and under who also received a gift. A total of 425 hampers distributed.
The total hamper number of families helped declined from the previous year from 451 families but more children received a gift although the age cutoff was reduced from 15 to 13.
Food Bank Usage
In 2019, 1339 separate family units (clients) visited the food bank. Out of a possible 26 times they can access services:
22% of clients use the food bank only once in the year
56% only used the food bank 4 times or less.
04% of clients used the food bank 20 times or more.
Programs for Children
Their programs include Coats for Kids (collecting and distributing winter clothes to children); Milk for Kids (milk for children aged 17 and under with family hampers), Food for Kids (weekend food bags through schools to children in food insecure households: approx. 110-120 per week.)
After the Bell
This is the fifth summer in a row that the Food Bank has partnered with the City of North Battleford’s Parks and Recreations to distribute bags of food to children who utilize the supervised parks program.
Income Tax Preparation
In spring 2020 the Food Bank prepared 343 (670 this time last year) income tax returns before the free clinics were suspended due to COVID-19.
Fine Options Coordinator
The Food Bank is one of two Fine Options/Community Service agencies in the Battlefords which helps place clients who have to do community service or desire to work off fines. In the 2019-2020 fiscal year 132 individuals were placed, up from 93 in 2017-2018.
Employment and Volunteer Opportunities
They provided a work placement for Prairie Employment and also provide volunteer opportunities for various schools including: Lawrence, Bready, EMBM, Battleford Central, McKitrick, Holy Family and St. Vital elementary schools, along with John Paul II Collegiate and North Battleford Comprehensive High School.
Food Banks Saskatchewan Hub
The Battlefords District Food and Resource Centre is a hub within the Food Banks Saskatchewan network to assist the Food Banks to the north.
Food Recovery Program
Five days a week, the Food Bank Truck goes around town and picks up food the grocery stores are no longer able to sell. A total 163,008 lbs of food and product were rescued from the landfill.
Link2Feed
The Food Bank also reported they have switched data bases and are able to record more comprehensive statistics through the Food Bank and the Christmas Hamper.
