ST. PAUL – The St. Paul & District Food Bank served about 1,000 more clients last year compared to the previous year.
In 2021, the food bank served over 7,000 clients, including adults and children. In 2022, the non-profit organization served over 10,000 clients. And in 2023, the food bank served over 11,000 individuals, says Larry Lambert, chair of the St. Paul & District Food Bank board.
When asked how much the food bank spent in 2023, Lambert says the organization spent approximately $50,000 on food. There are no administration or staff costs, and all 22 staff members of the food bank are volunteers, he says.
According to Lambert, the money came from around $15,000 in community donations, which was then matched by the provincial government, and another approximately $15,000 grant from the federal government.
Asked if there are challenges Lambert foresees with the new year, he says predictable funding will always be a challenge.
In 2023, the food bank averaged spending around $4,000 a month on food, and there was a point in the year when all the money the food bank had almost dried up. But "people came through,” he says.
With more clients being served by the food bank, Lambert says it is difficult to say if it will be the same case for 2024.
“We don’t know,” he acknowledges. “But we’re lucky that in St. Paul, people in the community, the schools, the services clubs, the small businesses, companies, and the corporations... they come through for us,” says Lambert, adding, the community working together is a “powerful force.”
Without the community’s support, feeding 11,000 people would not have been possible.
Simply put, “without a community, there wouldn’t be a food bank.”
December donations
And if the end of 2023 is any indication, the community will continue to be ready to support the food bank.
In December 2023, the food bank received over $20,000 in donations from the community.
“It shows that when the need increases, this community steps up,” says Lambert.
The Government of Alberta also provided a grant of $15,000 in December 2023.
Lambert says the funding should provide food for those in need until the fall of 2024.
When asked what else the food bank needs, Lambert says the food bank always accepts non-perishable food items. Cash donations are also accepted.
Lambert encourages residents to reach out if they know someone who needs support from the food bank. The food bank can be reached at 780-645-4548.
