It’s a good news, bad news story at the Red Deer Food Bank.
The good news is that demand has eased in recent months. The bad news is that demand is still substantial and it has been a long, lean summer.
Shelves are getting empty at the food bank and staff has had to go out and purchase food to meet the needs of area residents, says the food bank.
“For the year of 2018, so far, we have fed just under 10,000 adults and over 7000 children,” says executive director, Fred Scaife.
“Just for the month of August alone, we fed 1,192 adults and 850 children. With the fall food drive around the corner this will help to sustain us through the next few months.”
On Saturday, local members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will participate in a food drive to help out the food bank.
Yellow bags will be delivered throughout the north side of Red Deer Wednesday. Residents are asked to place their non-perishable food bank donations in the bags and put them on their front step for pick-up between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturday.
If you don’t receive a yellow bag and want to support the food drive, you can drop off food donation Saturday morning at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building at #8 Keast Way, Red Deer. Donations can also be given to the food bank directly.
Last year’s spring and fall food drives brought in more than 4,400 kg (9,700 pounds) of food.
“It comes at a time when our non-perishable donations are at its lowest,” says Sheila Wetherelt, volunteer co-ordinator with the Red Deer Food Bank. “The fall food drive will re-stock our shelves in preparation for the upcoming giving season.”
The North Red Deer food drive is part of a series of food drives organized by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Innisfail area citizens gave 1,588 kg (3,500 pounds) of food on Sept. 15. Church members in Edmonton are also running a food drive on Saturday.