The Mustard Seed expects that demand for its meal programs will increase in the coming months.
“Because COVID funding is ending, and now with the prices of everything going, we definitely anticipate our numbers will go higher,” said food services supervisor Cassidy Chambers.
“We just have to bump up our fundraising.”
She said the number of soup kitchen meals given out jumped to 2,400 in February, from 1,800 in January. Grocery costs for those Monday, Wednesday and Friday supper meals have also increased.
“We’ve some seen quite a few new faces. We anticipate that will increase.”
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She said the cost of providing the school lunch program, that serves 400 to 500 students a day, has gone from $2 per lunch to about $3. Rising fuel prices have also had an impact.
“We expanded our school lunch program back in September 2020 to rural schools in central Alberta so we have a driver that delivers to rural schools every day.
The program serves 48 schools in Red Deer, Sylvan Lake, Innisfail, Bowden, Delburne and Elnora.
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Chambers said The Mustard Seed is always looking for non-perishable food donations, as well as meat, dairy and fresh vegetables.