Volunteers help out at Pincher Creek Food Bank

Food Bank volunteers bringing in the goods
T. Lucas photos

Toni Lucas, Pincher Creek Voice

The Pincher Creek Food Bank was expecting a shipment from the Calgary Food Bank on Monday June 3.  This was also the first day that 25 year old Jora Yellow Horn was in charge as coordinator, taking over from Henrietta Yellow Horn who has taken a leave of absence.  Ten minutes before the truck pulled in volunteers started arriving to help unloading five skids of food that arrive twice a month as a shipment from the Calgary Food Bank.

Jora Yellow Horn

"Our volunteers are amazing," said Jora.  This shipment had eight people on hand to help move the food from the pallets to inside the facility, out of the rain.  Jora said that the amount that was delivered represents about 2-3 weeks of the food that this food bank gives out.  What arrives is not always what is needed though.  In this shipment there was an entire skid of brownie mixes.  Instead of that skid being a mix of food that will go out in the next 2 weeks, those brownies will be given out for months while the facility will continue to supply hampers that contain a variety of foodstuffs to make complete meals.

Once the boxes were brought inside many of the volunteers left.  Duane Grier stayed to assist Jora in the next steps.  The boxes have to be emptied, containers checked and wiped down, dates checked and the food sorted onto shelves.  "One box at a time," said Grier.  Both Jora and Grier have volunteered for the Pincher Creek Food Bank for over a year and a half.

Yellow Horn said they are always in need of donations year-round, whether the donation is in the form of cash or non-perishable food. "What we need most is things to make meals," she said, indicating areas in the sorting facility that were close to bare. Kraft dinner, pasta, rice, canned tomatoes, beans and spaghetti sauces are in high demand.  "We can always use help, and food banks rely on volunteers," said Jora.  This food bank gives out between 75 and 90 hampers a month on average.  Being a not-for-profit organization the food bank runs on limited funds.

When people apply they need to have proof of income, photo identification, and proof of their current address. "They have that, they can leave with a hamper the same day," said Jora, explaining the intake process.

Most people in Canada are only three months or less from poverty at any given point. Fixed income, job loss, a family break up, or illness are examples of factors that can send anybodies finances into a tailspin. The people at the Pincher Creek Food Bank are doing what they can to help alleviate some of those pressures.

There is no set date yet when the food bank will be moving to the old Bridges Health Food Store location on Kettles Street, which was purchased for that purpose recently.  Renos on the new location are continuing and the staff and volunteers are looking forward to starting operations out of the new building.

Napi Friendship Center and Pincher Creek Food Bank is located at 622 Charlotte Street, Pincher Creek.
Call 403-627-4265 if you can help in any way or are in need of assistance.  The  Food Bank is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.  If you need to make a donation on a different day it can be left with staff the Napi Friendship Center.

Corrected for accuracy.

Duane Grier, Tyler Roberts, Stefan Ludwig, Jora Yellowhorn and Jacob Ibler