SASKATOON (Staff) — Last year 2,000 people from rural Saskatchewan used one of the food banks located outside the four major cities.
Ed Bloos, manager of the Regina and District Food Bank, said the “hunger count” carried out in March for the nine food donation facilities in Saskatchewan showed business is building, “unfortunately.”
The count also showed that most people using the food banks come only once and that there is a high turnover. The more frequent users and some abusers of the free donation system make up only 14 percent of all who come.
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The food bank system in Western Canada has a toll-free number to take food donations. Hunters can donate carcasses, gardeners their excess vegetables and farmers can give grain by calling 1-800-567-8008.
The Regina food bank is also asking for a special donation to help pay for its new building. The goal is to raise $1 million for a larger building with better storage and sorting capacity at 2201 1st Ave.
Bloos said that for the past 11 years the Regina food bank has helped feed nearly 600,000 people from across southern Saskatchewan, almost half of them children. In that time 45 tonnes of food has been distributed each month.
