Food bank supply down

The shelves at the Oilfields Food Bank may be empty by summer if usage continues at its current rate, said the organization’s president.

Glenn Chambers said the food bank experienced a 30 per cent increase in demand since last fall, which has put its food stores down to half in just four months. The non-profit organization serves Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Longview, Millarville, Priddis and the surrounding MD.

“Our food bank is in need of some additional food,” said Chambers. “It’s not a crisis by any means, it’s just that this increase in numbers is up about 30 per cent more than we normally would have. That requires more food than what we normally would need.”

The Oilfields Food Bank receives the majority of its donations in November when firefighters with the Black Diamond, Longview and Turner Valley fire departments go door to door collecting non-perishable food items for a night.

Last fall’s collection filled shelves in the United Church in the Valley’s basement, but Chambers said the supplies are quickly dwindling.

“Our big food drive is in November and this is only March,” he said last week. “Other years we would be around 70 to 75 per cent (full). Our food drive in November typically lasts us right up to the next food drive.”

Since the food drive, volunteers have given out 54 hampers in November, another 29 in December, 52 in January, 34 in February and 35 in March, said Chambers.

“It’s all over the map right now but the majority of the people coming are singles,” he said. “January and February we had double the first time users that we would normally have. It’s mainly young people who just can’t find work.”

Chambers attributes the increase of first time users to seasonal work.

“Once snow removal stops, there’s that lapse of time in the spring where the summer jobs don’t kick in until April, May,” he said. “If we get an early spring like we have now there is no snow removal. There hasn’t been since the middle of February. People working in those businesses have been basically unemployed.”

The increase in usage also required Oilfields Food Bank volunteers to spend more money on perishable items like dairy, breads and meat, Chambers said.

“We had a fairly significant increase in purchases,” he said. “When our clientele goes up we have to buy more perishable items. That is stuff that we don’t get donations of. We can’t store it and we can’t freeze everything.”

To ensure there is adequate food to meet the growing need, Chambers is asking individuals, groups and organizations to host food drives.

Items needed most are canned meat, jam, peanut butter and dried goods like toilet paper, dish soap, laundry soap and dry cereal, said Chambers.

Those interested in hosting a food drive can call Chambers at 403-612-1291.

Food donations can be dropped off at the fire halls in Black Diamond, Turner Valley and Longview, as well as AG Foods and the Griffiths Senior Center in Black Diamond and the Valley Neighbours Club, post office and legion in Turner Valley. Volunteers can pick up food if transportation is an issue.

The food bank is open Tuesdays from 1 to 3 p.m.