KAKABEKA FALLS, Ont. – After 14 years the Rural Cupboard Food Bank is looking for room to grow.
Since starting in just a small closet, the food bank has now taken up almost the entire basement of the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Kakabeka Falls with food often stocked up to the ceiling.
Rural Cupboard Food Bank secretary Judy Fleck said they have maximized as much of the current space as they can, with some volunteers also using space in their own homes.
That is prompting the group to explore their options as they look to expand to fulfill as much of the need as possible, which is growing.
“It’s getting tougher and tougher to meet the need of the rural clients. There are no other food banks or feeding stations for them. It’s just us,” she said on Monday, surrounded by the full shelves of food items.
“It’s hard for the volunteers and hard for the clients to access the food bank.”
Last year the agency provided enough food for 586,000 meals.
Their busiest time of the year is quickly approaching, as Fleck said about 65 food hampers are normally distributed on food bank days but that number increases to close to 100 during the winter months.
“The need does grow around Christmas time and January. Our numbers will be high again,” Fleck said.
More space would allow the organization the ability to stock up food more than just one month in advance as they prepare for the rushes.
It would also allow them to expand some client specific initiatives, such as items specifically for babies and the elderly, a school lunch program and a clothing donation drive.
The rural food distribution agency serves a vast area that goes as far south as the border, east as Shuniah, west as Upsala and north as Lappe with all other areas encompassed.
It receives donations from members of the public as well as other charitable agencies, such as the Regional Food Distribution Association.
