By Jill Sperling

High demand, few donations force closure of Shellbrook food bank

Mar 4, 2016 | 10:54 AM

The Shellbrook Ministerial Food Bank has closed its doors after a difficult couple of months.

The food bank’s final distribution day was Tuesday, March 1. The building will be vacated at the end of the month.

Former chair, John Slemming, said he was feeling mixed emotions as a five-year operation came to an end.

“It’s sad because I know that there’s people that really were needing it,” Slemming said.

According to Slemming, the food bank was experiencing higher demand, with fewer donations over the past three to four months.

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“There was about twice as much usage as we’ve typically had over the last five years,” Slemming said, “and there just was not ongoing support of cash and grocery donations to match that.”

In previous years, excess groceries collected from Christmas hampers provided enough food to keep the shelves stocked into April or May. This year, however, they had to take food out of the food bank in order to fill the Christmas hampers.

Slemming pointed to the economy as a possible reason for a drop in donations. He said people would likely want to focus on their families first, before donating to a charitable organization.

At this point, Slemming said the closure appeared to be permanent, but local churches would still provide support for people in need of food.

“They have a plan of action in place now and they’re going to pick up where we’re leaving off,” Slemming said, “and in some ways I think what they have in mind will serve the purposes well.”

Slemming said there would no longer be a singular food donation place, but monetary donations would still be accepted.

“If somebody is coming for a hamper the pastor of that church or a layperson of that church will go shopping with them and basically follow the foodbank guidelines.”

Slemming said there wouldn’t be much left of the fund for the food bank once rent and utilities are paid up, but what is left will be made available to the local churches.

He said he was thankful for the people who have volunteered and donated to the food bank over the last five years.

“They have changed a lot of lives and we have seen a lot of good things happen because of the pulling together this community and area has done,” Slemming said. “So we are very grateful for that.”

jsperling@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @jnsperling