Food banks have seen increased clientele over the past year due to skyrocketing inflation and the Rural Cupboard Food Bank, operating out of the Conmee Municipal Complex, is no different.
Providing a food bank day every third Wednesday of the first 11 months of the year and second Wednesday in December, Rural Cupboard Food Bank chair Mark Halabecki said he’s seen an increase in clients to the country program.
“[Inflation] has been a huge detriment to people for sure,” said Halabecki, whose day job is being a social worker. “We just had a meeting (Wednesday) and we were looking at the numbers and we have an increase of 250 clients over the last year.”
Having a food bank near the townships and municipalities surrounding Thunder Bay alleviates some potential roadblocks for clients who would otherwise have to go to the city for food bank support and the problems that that would pose.
“There’s a lot of transportation issues for the clients in the country for rural residents,” said Halabecki. “A lot of them don’t have vehicles or they have vehicles, but then filling up gas to get to (Thunder Bay) for accessing food banks in (Thunder Bay) or accessing the Dew Drop Inn or Shelter House or things like that — they’re not able to do that, so they access our food bank.
“One thing that is different about our food bank versus food banks in town, we offer enough food to try to support people for a week. A lot of food banks in (Thunder Bay), they’re kind of limited, so they only provide a few days worth of food. We’re able to try and provide for a week.”
With most of the municipalities and townships surrounding Thunder Bay hosting many acres of farmland, the rural food bank has received help through area farms with a Plant and Grow A Row program.
The non-profit organization also has the backing of generous donors and groups that put on fundraisers to keep the food bank stocked.
“We have a great resource of donors and organizations and churches and community groups that support us as well as the the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board and various organizations that are way too many to name,” said Halabecki. “We are very grateful to everyone who does (support the food bank) and we have so many different people who will put on fundraisers for us; or they’ll collect donations for us in lieu of birthday presents or anniversaries and things like that.
“A lot of the (fundraisers), we don’t generate. Those ones are the community organizations or individuals that are doing those on our behalf and so they are not even instigated by us.
“We are so blessed by having people choose us as the recipient organization.”
Currently, The Early Refill Coffee in Kakabeka Falls has partnered with the Evergreen Pharmacy to donate $1 of every drink sold in January to the rural food bank, while the Kakabeka Falls Legion holds a monthly music jam and Christmas dinner to raise funds.
Donations to the Rural Cupboard Food Bank can be dropped off at the Provincial Alliance Credit Union in Kakabeka Falls, Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge municipal office or library in Rosslyn, Neebing municipal office on Highway 61, rural churches and Odena Foods in Kakabeka Falls.
More on the organization can be found on the Rural Cupboard Foodbank Facebook page.
The Chronicle-Journal/Local Journalism Initiative
