Regina Food Bank stretching to meet growing needs

More people are in need of support from Regina’s food bank – and needing it more frequently – than ever before.

John Bailey, CEO of the Regina Food Bank, said usage continues to be very high. Last year, he said, the food bank passed 170,000 points of service among more than 16,000 clients.

The number of people who use the food bank, and how often they need to make use of it, are both trending in a “fairly significantly higher direction than they have been,” according to Bailey.

Bailey said the people who have resorted to the food bank for help are facing a variety of challenges, ranging from job loss and income insecurity to ongoing reliance on social assistance.

And with recent increases in the cost of living, Bailey said many people who are gainfully employed are now among the food bank’s clients, because while they’ve been able to pay their rent and bills, there isn’t always enough left over to cover other expenses, like food.

Donations to the Regina Food Bank have been consistent, and while securing enough donations is often a challenge, Bailey said the food bank is keeping up with demand. He credited the community for stepping up, and said donors are the reason the food bank is able to continue operating.

“Our community’s been unbelievably supportive and had our back whenever we needed,” Bailey said.

That doesn’t mean those running the food bank aren’t also doing their part to ensure ends meet. Bailey said staff and volunteers are always trying to find new ways to source and secure food for clients, and while donations may be levelling off, the food bank is able to stretch a dollar a long way to provide meals.

Bailey said the food bank’s partnerships with local producers also help with donations and provide a connection to the agriculture sector within the Regina community.

“We know we’re a part of the world that feeds the world, and reaching out to those suppliers to support us and support our community has helped us find food and products … at wholesale prices,” Bailey said.

He emphasized the value in using local products to feed local people, especially when many producers in Saskatchewan are facing their own struggles with weather conditions and pests.

“If you have less that’s coming off the fields, that means you have less … available to other folks,” Bailey said.

While that issue hasn’t yet affected the food bank, Bailey said he is mindful of it when making projections for the future.

“There’s a very real chance that some of that crop donation isn’t going to be there this year, simply because the yields aren’t there this year,” he said.

Bailey said the donations from producers serve as an “incredible motivator” for the food bank, where staff members know the plight of people who are stepping up to continue helping others despite their own challenges. He expressed gratitude to producers, as well as other members of the Regina community, who continue to give to those in need despite their own concerns.

Anyone interested in supporting the food bank can do so through donations of cash, food or time. Bailey said cash is king, because the food bank can leverage in a powerful and effective way, and even a few dollars means a lot.

“We can make a lot of impact with not a lot of money,” Bailey said. “Any donation makes a meaningful difference.”

Donations of pasta, pasta sauce, canned vegetables and canned proteins – like tuna – are also always useful, Bailey said, and there’s always room for people willing to volunteer.