With food insecurity on the rise, food banks have become a necessary part of communities whether they are large or small.
The Town of Wolseley, Sask., knows this all too well.
“People (have) fallen on hard times and thank goodness for the generosity of the community coming together to assist in a time of need,” said Gerald Hill, the mayor of Wolseley.
Hill said the local food bank was established to fill a need in the community that wasn’t there.
“It’s a challenge with the cost of living … inflation and job uncertainty,” he said. “It’s really tough.”
In a town of 850 people, Hill said the major employer in the community is the Saskatchewan Health Authority with the nursing home and hospital.
“If you’re not able to have a job there or you don’t have the skills to have a job there, it’s pretty tough,” he said. “You either leave the community or wait for something to come up.”
The local food bank is located at the C.E. Centre at the United Church. Brenda Hill, who is the food bank’s distributor, said they serve about 30 people, but lately their food supply has been dwindling.
“We try and help out as much as we can,” she said. “We give vouchers out for perishables, and then we try and get donations for the non-perishables.”
Hill hopes they can see more people donate to help those in need in their community.
“That would be great if we fill this room,” she said. “That would be awesome.”