With a fresh layer of snow and the spirit of Christmas, many people think to make donations, and the Carlyle and District Food Bank is one to keep in mind.
Last year the Food Bank saw an influx of requests and has seen need subside slightly, but remain much higher than in years past. With the downturn in the economy the need at the food bank rose, but donations actually went down making it difficult for the food bank.
“We usually use cash donations for purchasing the fresh items like milk, eggs, potatoes, carrots, apples, and usually hamburger; but, over the past couple of years we’ve had to use cash donations to purchase the usual staples like beans, noodles, and canned meat,” Mavis James, a volunteer with the local food bank, explained.
“This past year we also ran the food bank in July and August, usually those two months are rather slow, so we take a short break, but this year the need remained high during those months as well.”
Currently they see 40-50 hampers out their doors each month, which has gone down from last year’s high of approximately 60. This is still up considerably, however, from the past 20-30 hampers per month.
Volunteers meet on the third Wednesday of the month in the basement of the Carlyle United Church to assemble food hampers. Recipients of the hampers are arranged through food bank volunteers, as well as through referrals from churches and social workers.
“We’re always in need of donations,” James explained. “Christmastime there are usually a lot of food donations, then it peters off, and we do get some donations, but a lot of what we are able to give out throughout the year comes in at Christmastime.”
“By around this time the shelves are getting bare, but something always appears. We’re very thankful and happy whenever anyone thinks of the food bank, so thank you to everyone who chooses to donate to us and to all of our volunteers.”
Since the Carlyle and District Food Bank is not able to store fresh or frozen items, donations of canned or dried goods are important, while cash donations allows them to purchase fresh items the day the hampers are given out.
Ideas for canned or dried foods includes pasta and pasta sauces, canned meat and fish, peanut butter, beans, soups, stews, canned vegetables and fruit, cereal, infant foods and formula, bathroom tissue and diapers, as well as personal hygiene products.
“At this time of year it’s also nice if people are donating to include a can of cranberries or packaged stuffing, items for salads like Jello, but the usual dried goods are essential year round,” James explained.
Currently at the Southern Plains Co-op in Carlyle a donation bin is set up just after the tills, while they also have prepackaged brown bags of food bank donation items which can be purchased during check out.
Contacts for the Carlyle and District Food Bank include:
Darlene Burnett, Carlyle. 453-2267
Arrol Young, Arcola. 455-2649
Annette Lenouail, Redvers area. 452-3915
Jaime Brimner, Manor. 448-2278
Deb Phillips, Wawota. 739-2434
Cheques for cash donations can be sent to the Carlyle and District Food Bank care of Mavis James, Box 37, Arcola, Sk, S0C 0G0.
