A food drive across the southern part of Red Deer comes at an ideal time for the food bank, as demand continues to rise.
Fred Scaife, Red Deer and District Food Bank executive director, described the pace at the food bank as “crazy.
“As every month goes by we keep thinking there’s going to be a drop in demand and there hasn’t been,” said Scaife. “That’s been going on for 28 to 29 months now. Demand has gone up every month.”
On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints will collect bags from homes in the south. The bags will be delivered throughout the week. People are asked to fill the bags and leave them at their doorsteps.
In the past, the food drives has come to the food bank’s loading area with a semi-truck full of food.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints food drives typically bring in between 18,000 and 20,000 kgs of food.
The Mormons split the food drive into to halves, targeting the south half in the spring and the north half in the fall.
One of the possible reasons demand increased this month, Scaife said, was because of the “protracted winter” delaying the start of seasonal work. Cold winters and the subsequent high utility bills also had an impact.
“I’m hoping that sometime by the mid- to late summer there may be a bit of a turnaround and we’ll see an evening out of the demand,” said Scaife.
The food bank is always dependent on the donation cycle. With about 70 per cent of its cash donations coming in the last quarter of the year.
Scaife said the Mormon’s helping hands food drive is a significant contribution.
“It’s thousands and thousands of pounds,” said Scaife. “It’s not random stuff we’re getting either, it’s vegetables, canned meat, soups and pastas.”
For the food drive, the church sends out bags to doors across the city with a list of items needed for the food bank.
Anyone who does not get a yellow bag in their mailbox this week can bring donations to the Bower chapel, 3002 4th Ave., between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., Saturday.