The St. Paul Food Bank is actively looking for volunteers to help with daily operations. If volunteers don’t come forward, the organization may have to consider being open three days a week, rather than four.
The food bank has a small volunteer base, and as the summer months approach, those volunteers often want to take holidays, says Shelley Poitras, chair of the food bank. She explains that volunteers take on one two-hour shift per week and are offered lots of training and support.
Volunteers can bring a partner, such as a spouse, a parent, or friend, to help out, or they are partnered up with other volunteers.
“We really need your help,” says Poitras, as she describes the food bank’s situation. She adds that the organization does get a lot of great community support from local grocery stores and businesses.
“The community support has been really awesome,” says Poitras, adding, “We just need more manpower now.”
Of course, the food bank is always willing to accept grocery item donations, and Poitras says that if anyone has an overstock of certain food items, they are welcome to contact the organization and make a donation.
Interested volunteers are encouraged to stop by the food bank and take a tour of the facility, which is located on the southwest corner of the Mannawanis Native Friendship Centre, or they can call Poitras at (780) 614-1003.
The food bank is open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon, and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
