Across the province, the economic downturn has required more families to turn to food banks to meet their basic needs, and St. Paul has not been immune to this trend.
David Robinson, the vice-chair of the St. Paul and District Food Bank says, “there has been a 50 per cent increase in the amount of people using the food bank this year, compared to last year.”
He added, “So far this year, we have serviced 1,317 adults and 1,209 children . . . For all of last year, we served 1,360 adults and 1,300 children.”
In order to effectively cope with this dramatic spike in food bank usage, Robinson encourages St. Paul residents who are able, to provide monetary support to keep the shelves stocked.
“We really support any donations that community members give us, and I want to let people know that we put the money to good use.”
Some of the funds are allocated towards purchasing items that are not often donated, such as flour and specific canned food products. One of the major food bank fundraisers of the year is also coming up, giving locals a convenient venue to donate.
“We will have a float in the parade, and we will have people walking along the float with baskets to collect donations,” said Robinson.
While monetary offerings are more preferable on that day, food donations will also gladly be accepted.
Robinson said a total of about $2,900 was raised through this fundraising effort last year. He said he hopes this year’s parade effort will bring in a haul of $3,500 to $4,000.
The rodeo parade is scheduled to take place on Sept. 5 at 10 a.m.
For more information on how you can support the local food bank, visit the organization’s Facebook page, or call (780)-645-4548.
St. Paul Food Bank Most Needed Foods:
Canned Soups
Soda Crackers
Canned Beans
Cereals — Hot and Cold
Macaroni and Cheese
Spaghetti and Sauce
Canned Pasta
Canned Fish — Tuna and Salmon
Canned Stews
Canned Lunch Meats
Canned Fruit
Canned Vegetables
Rice — Instant and Long Grain
Jams
Baking Powder
Pancake Mix
Pancake Syrup
School Lunch Items
