ESTEVAN — Estevan Salvation Army director of ministry Ronza Reynard says the ministry's food bank will need some help to meet the demands of the community this summer.
The food bank has some shelves that are bare right now and others have light amounts of food. The Salvation Army appreciates all of the support it receives, Reynard said, and it is fortunate to be in Estevan, but the need is still strong.
A top-10 list features the items in the greatest demand. Cereal is among them.
"I think a lot of kids can just eat that on their own. You can have cereal at any time of the day," Reynard told SaskToday.
Canned meat might be the item that moves the fastest, she said, and it is the hardest to keep on the shelves. Pasta, such as macaroni, is always a popular item. Rice, canned meats, soup, peanut butter and canned vegetables are among the other items on the top-10 list. Among non-food items, toilet paper is something that Reynard said people are seeking.
"Like we always say, anything will help, even if it's not on our list. It just helps. The clients get to go through the food bank store and pick what they want," said Reynard.
Eggs and yogurt are among the items the food bank offers its clients.
"We're leaving the choice up to each family that comes, so that they're getting the things that their families would like and need, and not just what we say. If you don't want milk, you don't have to take the milk."
The food bank is also accepting garden-fresh produce. These items don't have to be chopped, and the Salvation Army will take care of cleaning and other work needed before serving these foods to customers.
"It's always nice to have those fresh garden vegetables in the food bank," said Reynard.
Condiments are in high demand during the summer months.
The Salvation Army tried a summer food drive at Walmart on July 11 that didn't result in much for food donations but did generate some cash donations, which Reynard said helped. The Salvation Army has put out a call for the churches to do food drives during the summer months.
Approximately 300 individuals access Estevan's food bank each month.
"Families right now find it a little tougher because kids aren't in school. A lot of times during the school year, there's a lot of nutritional programs at the schools, so they don't have that extra resource over the summer months," said Reynard.
The Salvation Army has been hovering around 290-320 individuals a month. It continues to see new people; about 25-30 new clients come in each month.
"It could be that they are replacing some that have moved out of the area or who don't necessarily use our services anymore, but every month we seem to see that many more people coming and asking what kind of programs [the Salvation Army offers] and how do I access the food bank?" said Reynard.
The rising price of groceries also has an impact. Reynard recalled purchasing something at a store, and two weeks later, buying the same item for $3 or $4 more. The Salvation Army pays the same price as everyone else, too.
"Whether somebody has time to go and do some shopping, or they'd like to drop off a monetary donation, and then we can go and do the shopping, that works as well," she said.
A group of food bank supporters monitors coupons and fliers to find things for the Salvation Army, saving time and effort for the ministry.
Income tax receipts are provided for cash donations.
