The Salvation Army is still serving hundreds of bagged lunches and still facing a rising cost of food. (File Photo/paNOW Staff)

By Rob Mahon

Salvation Army Spring

Food costs, emergency training the focus for Salvation Army in Spring

Mar 22, 2023 | 12:00 PM

Spring weather is taking its time arriving in Prince Albert, but slightly warmer temperatures are good news for the Salvation Army. It also means the organization is about to shift focus.

From a time when people need clothing to keep warm, to a time when they need sunscreen, some things will change in a hurry as the weather does. That’s not to say things will slow down for the busy group at all.

“It is a relief knowing people are not needing as much winter clothing,” said Major Ed Dean. “But as we switch into spring and summer, we also see an increase in the community of people that are needing. The spring and summer stuff coming in needs to start fairly quickly.”

It was a busy winter for the Salvation Army with people coming in needing all manner of winter clothes, as well as blankets. One of the biggest needs over the course of the winter was meals.

“We’re serving between 120 and 160 bagged lunches four days a week out of our building,” Dean said. “Those are all bagged lunches, so that could be anything from a bowl of soup and a sandwich to some casseroles we’ve made. We’ve had a great team of volunteers.”

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One constant from winter to summer is the price of food going up. While inflation in Canada is generally starting to trend down, that hasn’t affected grocery store shelves just yet. The Salvation Army is one of many groups literally paying the price.

“The equipment we use for distributing, we’ve seen a drastic increase in prices of it over the last while,” said Dean. “Bottom line, your meal is costing you more than you’re putting out to those in need. The dollar has to stretch that much further.”

Once spring begins in earnest, the Salvation Army will start working on a mobile unit to bring meals to different places. They also begin increased training for volunteers.

“They may need to respond to an emergency,” said Dean, “whether it be the evacuation of a community or whatever have you. I’m the Emergency Disaster Services Specialist for the province, so my role is to train volunteers, make sure our equipment is ready, and make sure we have the resources that are needed.”

Dean added if anyone was interested in helping with disaster services work then they had training coming up on April 24 and 26 in Prince Albert.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP