Picture Butte food bank update during the holiday season

By Jaxon McGinn
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Sunny South News

So far, it’s been going well this Christmas season and moving ahead into the New Year at the North County Interfaith Food Bank in Picture Butte.

According to the food bank manager, there hasn’t been a decrease in donations during the holiday season compared to other food banks in southern Alberta.

“The donations have stayed the same, and it’s the same and better, you know if anything and not down because our community has always been such a blessing to our food bank, and they stepped up to the plate when COVID hit,” said manager Nancy Nieboer.

Food Banks Alberta is the provincial association of food banks in Alberta with a mission to strengthen the impact of the Foodbanks Alberta network by sharing best practices, innovation, and essential resources between members, stakeholders, and community partners.

Currently, Nieboer said, she is noticing a few different people utilizing the food bank but not as many as a city food bank might see regarding the economic downturn.

“We’ve always been fortunate that we haven’t had to officially reach out to the community for more donations because they just came, and people gave to us, and they would phone us and say can we do this, or can we give this and so, yes, we’ve always been blessed as I said before,” added Nieboer.

“Because of COVID we’re not doing the big community event again and we’re running Christmas hampers to our food bank on a three-day pick-up process. We advertise in the community, advertise in the school, and advertise just by putting posters out that we’re having a Christmas hamper campaign again. We will be giving out Christmas hampers on the week before Christmas, and on the 16 and 18th and the 21st, we will be giving out Christmas hampers,” added Nieboer.

Nieboer would also like to add that she is very thankful to the community for the overwhelming response to the needs of Picture Butte and the area.

People interested in volunteering to help or donate can call 587-787-4022 or email countynorth@yahoo.ca.

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