Father Dave DeSouza (left) of St. Anne’s Catholic Church presents a cheque for $1,000 on behalf of the Catholic Women’s League to Pastor Phil Johnson (right) of the Osoyoos Food Bank and Osoyoos Baptist Church. The money, along with six boxes of food, was raised for the food bank at a tea organized by Virginia McQuarrie (second from left). Also shown are CWL members and tea participants (from left) Maria Vieira, Joan Alaric, Annette Sigvardsen, and Maria Pereira. The annual tea was held Dec. 1. Photo by Richard McGuire.
The number of people receiving food from the Osoyoos Food Bank has increased sharply this year as the bank gets ready to distribute Christmas hampers.
Lu Ahrendt, manager of the food bank, says the number of families has not changed significantly, but there are more large families being helped.
The food bank plans to begin distributing hampers on December 21, including a ham or a turkey, to more than 100 families that have registered, she said.
“The people of Osoyoos are very generous,” says Ahrendt, who notes that Osoyoos Secondary School did a food drive at Halloween that collected 1,001 items as well as cash donations.
Numerous service clubs and individuals have also donated generously, she said.
“The community is very aware of the food bank and they are very generous,” she said.
Despite that generosity, difficult economic times have resulted in some people turning to the food bank for the first time.
“There are people who have recently been unemployed, who hate to come to the food bank,” says Ahrendt. “They really are ashamed of the predicament they find themselves in, but it’s not of their doing. There are people that are going to the food bank who apologize for having to come.”
This is occurring more frequently, with people registering for the first time, suggesting economic times are bad in this community, she says.
Despite the generosity of so many, Ahrendt says some people in the community look down their noses at those relying on the food bank and ask why they don’t just get a job.
“They want a hand up – not a handout,” she says, adding some are so ashamed of being seen accepting food that they make arrangements to pick it up at the Osoyoos Baptist Church instead. The church operates the food bank.
Those still wishing to donate can leave donations of non-perishable food in bins at each of the local grocery stores and the stores will also handle cash donations.
Ahrendt notes the deadline for cash donations for those wanting 2012 tax receipts is December 31.
The combination of Christmas goodwill and the tax deadline have always meant that donations increase at this time of year, but there is a need for contributions throughout the year, Ahrendt says.
The food bank has recently seen a big turnover in volunteers with a number of long-time volunteers leaving and new ones coming forward to take their places, she says.
“We’ve been very pleasantly surprised,” said Ahrendt of the new recruits. “People have stepped up to the plate and said they would help us throughout the year.”
