Despite a continuing uptick in use, the Stettler Food Bank is keeping up with demands.
According to food bank president Mark Higgins, they have seen an increase in use of around 10 per cent year-over-year.
When compared to the year prior, 2022, the food bank use was up about 10 per cent from then as well.
"There is a steady increase," said Higgins. "We hope that we've reached the limit."
However, donations from a multitude of contributors have been ensuring that the food bank continues to have the resources for those in need. Higgins notes that some of the local Hutterite colonies and other suppliers provide hundreds of pounds of fresh vegetables for the food bank to distribute, and local businesses provide "rescue foods."
Rescue foods are foods from lines that the stores are either no longer carrying or that have reached their best-before dates. Higgins notes that the food bank follows Food Bank Canada guidelines and that depending on the products, they can be used for anywhere from nine months to two years past the best-before date.
"Manufacturers say you may lose some freshness," said Higgins.
In addition to the rescue foods, the food bank receives cash from the stores in town, through fundraising initiatives. Higgins says that when people donate at the stores in town for the food bank, 100 per cent of the funds donated remain in the Stettler area.
The Stettler Food Bank also receives shipments from the provincial Food Bank.
According to Higgins, the Food Banks Alberta is the province's provincial umbrella that supports local food banks around the province. Once a month, it will supply lists of what is available, allowing local food banks to order, and then they will deliver.
A third stream that the food bank receives donations from is from private individuals, both cash and items donated.
The Stettler Fire Department held its annual food drive for the food bank in October, raising $10,000 and picking up 10,000 pounds of food from the community.
Higgins says that cash is always good to donate as it allows the food bank to purchase items with short expiry dates or other things that are not often donated, but still appreciated in food bank hampers.
He added there are some things that the food bank doesn't purchase, but are always appreciated in hampers when they are received. He said that items like diapers, hygiene items, and even laundry soap can all make their way to those in need.
Items that can't be accepted by the food bank include wild game, and any beef that is donated must be processed at a licensed facility.
According to Higgins, the Stettler Food Bank is managed by a board of eight directors, and 160 to 200 volunteers a month who help with the operation of the facility.
"Any given week, we might have 30 to 40 volunteers involved with the operation," said Higgins. "They could be the same people or different people. And, these people don't expect any recognition. They don't. They just want to do their job, and get in and get out. I really admire them for that.
"We're able to manage because we have such a dedicated base of people."
Higgins says that those people provide hampers to roughly 150-180 households per month, though he notes that some households do come twice per month as they have children.
The Stettler Food Bank is open for those in need three days per week; it's open Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon until 2 p.m. and Wednesday evenings from 7-8 p.m.
For those wanting to donate to the Stettler Food Bank, the grocery stores have donation bins for physical goods. For those wanting to donate financially, cheques can be dropped off during the open times, or donations can be made through the Stettler Food Bank website, stettlerfoodbank.ca.
