By Lisa Schick

Cheap nutrition

Apr 28, 2011 | 10:21 AM

Every second Wednesday the gymnasium at the Bernice Sayese Community Centre is filled with volunteers, music, and vegetables — they pack boxes with fresh produce for the Smart Families Food Box program.

The program was started by the Smart Families Food Co-op and is celebrating a decade of operation this year.

“Back about ten years ago the Prince Albert Hunger Committee (saw) a need for more nutritious food in the community, and a more affordable way for the community to get nutritious food, so they banded together and started the co-op,” said Tina Dickson, who is on the board of the co-operative.

Dickson said she has seen the program do a lot of good in the decade it’s had.

“We’ve seen our food boxes number rise every month and we’re hearing from people that this is the only nutritious food they receive or that it really benefits them.”

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They use bulk buying to be able to sell the bundles of food at approximately half what they’re worth.

The small boxes contain fresh fruits and vegetables for $10, and the large boxes have fruits and vegetables but also two staple items like bread or eggs for $20.

The program has no restrictions and anyone can purchase the food boxes.

Dickson said she thinks the program has helped out a lot with health in communities.

“I can see it’s really helped out as far as diabetes prevention, obesity prevention, high blood pressure, things like that, so it’s very beneficial,” Dickson said.

The program receives a bit of provincial funding, but needs volunteers to organize and get the food out to the people – Dickson said it’s the volunteers that make the program happen.

Craig Sanderson works in the program, but also uses it.

“I get the food program all the time for my children. It’s good for the kids.”

Holly Rivet is an instructor for the Way to Work program at SIAST – a transition to work program for adults with disabilities.

Rivet has her students come to help pack the boxes of food, “we bring our students on Wednesdays for hands on work experience and to be a part of a community initiative.”

Though the program is trying to help the community it has lately been facing some challenges.

Dickson said they don’t receive very much funding, they sometimes have trouble finding volunteers and vehicles, and they find it difficult to hire a coordinator who can work year-round.

But the program doesn’t show any signs of quitting just yet, the number of food boxes they provide goes up every month.

lschick@panow.com