A steady flow of traffic kept volunteers busy at the Central Okanagan Food Bank on Wednesday, as Christmas hamper distribution officially got underway.
The food bank will be handing out hundreds of hampers to recipients, including seniors on fixed incomes, people who have fallen on hard times and families struggling to make ends meet.
“We will be providing hampers to local residents in Kelowna and West Kelowna in need of food support from now until noon on December 24,” said Tammie Watson, chief development officer with the Central Okanagan Food Bank.
Watson said this year the need is far greater than last year.
“We anticipated about 2,200 hampers would be required about a month ago, and we’ve had so many people reach out to us just recently that we are now just under 2,500 hampers,” Watson told Global News.
That number marks a 27 per cent jump from the number of hampers handed out just last year.
“It is a massive increase,” said Watson, who attributes the spike in numbers to the ongoing pandemic, a destructive wildfire season and recent flooding emergencies.
“It’s really hard to see. I’m not going to lie,” she said. “Sometimes it’s a difference between getting dinner on the table, and, especially during Christmas time, presents under the tree. It’s a really difficult time for a lot of people.”
Aileen Abalim and her family are among the recipients this year.
She said the family of four is new to Canada. She’s also an international student, which only allows her to work up to 20 hours a week.
“This is our second year here in Canada,” Abalim said. “So the Central Okanagan Food Bank is a great help for us.”
However, the food bank is challenged this year with supply chain problems, namely a shortage of turkeys.
“Right now we’re short about 400 turkeys,” Watson said.
It means some hamper recipients face the possibility of having to go without the Christmas dinner staple.
The shortage of turkeys has the food bank issuing a special public appeal.
“A little note to the community for those who are buying turkeys for themselves: If you’d like to pick one up for the food bank as well, and drop it off to us any time Monday to Friday, we’ll make sure that a local family in need gets one,” Watson said.
If you need to register for a Christmas hamper, you can do so by calling the Central Okanagan Food Bank.
For more information on the food bank or to donate, visit the Central Okanagan Food Bank website.