LAKELAND - A list of community organizations that exist to support those in need will be getting a financial boost thanks to recently announced provincial dollars.
In November, the province announced that $20 million would be provided over two years to help food banks and other food security organizations. The funding was made available due to increased pressures and demand that have resulted due to the "inflationary crisis," according to information from Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA David Hanson's office.
“Food banks are increasingly important to all of our communities," said Hanson.
2023 funding has been provided through one of three grants - the Food Bank Grant, Food Security Grant, or the Donation Matching Grant. More than $200,000 will be coming specifically to the Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul region, along with funds being distributed to the surrounding region, including Lac La Biche.
The Food Bank Grant offers funding to all registered food banks in Alberta, the Food Security Grant allows unregistered food banks and related food security organizations to apply for funding, and the Donation Matching Grant enabled the provincial government to match donations made to food banks and related organizations throughout December of 2022.
In total, 210 organizations received funding through the three grant streams to support Albertans struggling to feed themselves and their families.
The City of Cold Lake will be getting a $12,175 Food Security Grant and the Cold Lake John Howard Society will be getting a $50,000 Food Security Grant.
The Cold Lake Food Bank Society will get a $49,989 donation matching grant and a $60,000 food bank grant.
The Bonnyville Canadian Native Friendship Centre will be getting a $28,989 donation matching grant, along with a $15,000 food bank grant.
The St. Paul and District Food Bank will be getting a $14,359 donation matching grant, and also received a $15,000 food bank grant this year, according to St. Paul food bank chair Larry Lambert.
St. Paul food bank
In St. Paul, the funding will be used to continue a program that was started earlier this year, providing food bank users with more than just non-perishable items. When additional funding was first announced by the province, the St. Paul & District Food Bank started a program that provides two litres of milk, a tub of margarine, a dozen eggs, one jar of peanut butter, one jar of cooking oil one bag of pasta, one can of pasta sauce, one bag of coffee or tea, a bag of oatmeal, one can of soup per person, and one box of Kraft Dinner per person.
The food bank also gives out frozen mean and assorted vegetables, along with two loaves of bread or buns when those items are available.
"This community is absolutely fabulous," said Lambert, when speaking about the overall support received by the food bank. Local grocery stores, for example, provide vegetables and meat on a regular basis.
When asked how many people have been using the food bank's services, Lambert said, in 2022 the food bank served 3,235 families for a total of 10,231 adults and children.
As a comparison from January to March 2022, the food bank served 761 families or 1,323 adults and 1,122 children. In 2023, from January to March, there were 834 families served, or 1,524 adults and 1,110 children - an increase of 189 individuals.
The need for the food bank has returned to pre-pandemic levels, and Lambert expects the organization to serve about 11,000 people in 2023.
John Howard Society
In Cold Lake at the John Howard Society, a $50,000 grant is being used to keep a cook on staff, beyond the winter season.
During the winter season, when a mat program was being provided to those who needed a safe place to spend the night, a cook was also on hand. Thanks to a provincial grant, the cook will be able to stay on staff until July.
When providing an update to City of Cold Lake council on April 11, representatives with the John Howard Society noted that they regularly serve clients with food insecurity and there was an influx of people coming to the organization's breakfast and lunch programs.
"There's a gap in service," said Candice Sutterfield, a board member with the society, noting that some organizations that used to provide lunch programs in the community are no longer doing so.
"Nobody should ever need to wonder where their next meal will come from, which is why we are proud to be supporting hundreds of organizations across the province," said Jeremy Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services.
