The Cranbrook Food Bank has seen a rise in use of 26 per cent from last year and on average packs and distributes 391 hampers per month.

“Everyday we’re getting more and more clients,” said Jackie Pringle, food bank manager and volunteer coordinator. “A portion of those hampers are for singles, others are for couples, and then the rest are for families. In May we handed out 36 hampers to new clients. The month before it was 29.”

Need is outstripping donations to the food bank and Pringle said she estimates they will have to spend 70 per cent more money buying food than they did last year, as food donations are down.

“Donations are still good but they aren’t as good as they were because everyone’s feeling the financial crunch,” she said. “We don’t get donations of potatoes, we don’t get donations of meat, unless it’s hunting season and then we do, and we aren’t getting as many canned goods so we’re having to buy that. We’re not getting as many donations from the stores because they are having to watch their budgets.”

Pringle said the local food bank used to get large shipments from Calgary of left over food but that has been way down because food banks in Alberta have seen such an increased demand.

In February 2010, 738 people were helped by the Cranbrook Food Bank and of that number, 38 per cent were children. Between March 2009 and February 2010 36 per cent of those helped by the local food bank were children.

“We try and make sure that we are catering to children, with cereals for breakfast and lunch items they can take to school, so that they aren’t going hungry,” Pringle said. “We also are needing baby food and diapers and formula. Those are things we need all the time and don’t always have them coming in.”

Pringle said they don’t only need food donations, that cash donations are much appreciated as well because they are buying more food items now and also to maintain the building.

The food bank also has a shelf with personal hygiene items on it, and people picking up a hamper can take two items from it. Pringle said they also appreciate donations of items that can be added to that shelf.

Although Christmas and Thanksgiving are times of year when donations are significantly up Pringle said they see an increase of donated meat during hunting season and they also receive donations of locally grown produce from gardeners who find themselves with excess fruit and veggies. She said they are happy to receive those donations.

Between March 2009 and February 2010 the food bank saw 278,964 lbs of incoming food compared to 288,222 lbs of outgoing food. Volunteers gave 30,000 hours during that time and helped distribute 4,256 hampers that weighed an average of 68 lbs each.

Pringle said they can always use more volunteers, especially with summer coming up, as regular volunteers may go away on holidays and not be able to come in. People who are interested can call Pringle at the food bank at 250-426-7664.