Food bank brimming with donated goods

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What's being called an 'overwhelming' public response to pleas from Slave Lake's food bank had shelves overflowing at the Slave Lake Native Friendship Centre, according to program director Bernard Menary.

The "food room is full and two more rooms half full" with the generous donations from Slave Lake and area residents made just before Christmas, he said. "And all those items which were donated were exactly what we need" to help families bridge the gap between pay cheques.

"We had such a positive response to the food bank. It's another one of those overwhelming things" when generosity exceeds organizers' wildest dreams, he said. "This is definitely a first."

Menary said some donors were very specific as to where they wanted the money applied, he said. It's an unusual stroke of luck, but one which Menary is pleased he's experiencing.

But at the same time, it's fortunate local residents were so generous this year.

Just returned from a Christmas break on Jan. 4, Menary said he had six requests for food bank assistance that morning, "and it's not even a food bank day."

Native friendship centre executive director Lynne Bird said the food bank feeds an average of 40 to 50 people each month, but said users are usually limited to accessing the bank once every three months.

"I know that may sound kind of mean, but we're really trying to encourage these people to get back to work or look for alternatives, find some other way to feed themselves and their families."

Bird said January is usually the food bank's busiest month as people come to terms with empty or over-expended bank accounts.

"Sometimes government cheques come early in December" to help families get ready for Christmas, she said. But unfortunately that also means some have to wait six weeks between cheques as the payments revert to their normal delivery day in the new year.

"And many don't think to pay things like rent ahead of time when they have the extra cash."

And when rent day rolls around, the account is empty, as are the cupboards.