Financial donations have already reached close to 60 per cent of the $100,000 target, with all funds going toward a new and larger ground-level location to replace the small and antiquated building the food bank currently uses to house and parcel out food donations.
“Very happy,” said operations manager Terri Smith when asked about her thoughts on the fundraiser progress. “We’re in dire need of a building and these funds will really help us hopefully find a new place to move into fairly quickly. Our building is very small, our lobby is very small, right now we can’t even bring in clients or even donors into the building. You can have maybe one person at a time, and it would be very time consuming having everybody come in and pick up their hampers.”
The food bank has worked around that during the COVID-19 pandemic by having orders picked up at its loading dock, a situation that has worked well in the warmer months but might become a concern when the temperatures fall later in the year.
“So that’s why we have a big push right now,” Smith said. “We have to find something ground level, so our clients can walk right in instead of having to walk downstairs carrying heavy boxes… we’re still looking for a building with the right size and right cost.”
The thing is, this is Moose Jaw and the food bank. That combination has a way creating positive outcomes regardless of the situation, which has Smith optimistic things will work out in the near future.
“This place is kind of strange — whenever you need something, it comes,” Smith said. “It may not come right away, but it comes when you need it the most. So I’m hopeful…. Moose Jaw is a very giving and community-minded city, and when somebody is in need and needs help, help arrives when you need it the most.”
Interestingly enough, the food bank has found itself at one of its lowest levels of usage since its inception back in 1984. With people finding assistance from government agencies and a variety of charities in the community, Smith estimated they were down 75 per cent in total hamper output.
“I think a lot of it has to do with the fact people are getting help on CERB, pensioners are getting an increase, anybody with children had their child tax bumped up a little bit,” she said. “I think all those things, plus churches, Riverside Mission and Salvation Army, everyone is grouping together to help those in need. Somebody has always been there to lend an extra hand.”
Once everything returns to something approaching normal, that’s when demand will likely increase.
“Hopefully when it does pick up, we’ll be in a new building and ready to go and it’ll be just great,” Smith said.
To make a donation, you can:
- send an e-transfer to [email protected];
- make a donation online through www.mjfoodbank.org;
- mail a cheque to 305 Fairford St. West, S6H 1V8.
For more information on the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank and their fundraising campaign, visit their Facebook page.
