Post holiday lull, Regina Food Bank still in need of donations after Christmas rush

Demand growing at the Regina Foodbank Regina Foodbank joins the show to discuss the continued need for support as the new year begins

The post holiday season lull in donations is an annual challenge for many organizations including the Regina Food Bank.

Many people give during the month of December while in the holiday spirit, but January often results in a drop of donations, potentially creating shortages.

Regina Food Bank CEO John Bailey says there is often an increase in usage over the holidays and that too can lead to shortages come January.

“We basically doubled our weekly input the week before the Christmas break, so it was a busy December,” he said.

Bailey says over the past few years, the need for the food bank has remained high all year-round and has made it harder to recoup supplies during what used to be traditionally slower months for usage.

“We’re always asking folks to not forget that hunger is a 12-month issue in our city so anything they can do to support is always appreciated,” Bailey said.

According to Bailey, cash donations are always a guaranteed way to make a significant positive impact, as they can turn one dollar into three meals.

“If you want to donate food, canned proteins, canned vegetables, canned pasta and pasta sauce are always great,” he said.

Bailey said volunteer numbers also drop in January and people can also donate their time to help out operations at the food bank.

“So, if you do have some extra time on your hands and are looking to donate that gift of time – go to our website Regina Food Bank.ca and you can sign up for a volunteer shift and that will be incredibly helpful for us.”

Bailey is also expecting a 15 to 20 per cent increase in usage from last year adding that increased demand as well as the new food hub that opened last year allows them to serve more people.

“I think the need in our city continues to grow and we are working really hard to meet that need at our food bank.”