OLDS – Despite expectations of busier times, the Mountain View Food Bank has seen a marked decline in demand since the COVID-19 pandemic started in March, says longtime volunteer Jim Thomson.
Volunteers have been preparing and handing out about half the volume of hampers they were prior to the crisis, he said.
“We’ve actually been much slower than usual,” said Thomson. “Before this all happened we were getting out 50 or 60 hampers a week and now we are down to about 30. Everybody’s getting Trudeau money (COVID-19 relief) I guess hey?
“We expecting things to be worse but they are not. I don’t know what to make of that. It is interesting.”
A registered society founded in 1987, the Olds-based food bank serves the entire Mountain View County district. Businesses, individuals, churches, schools and other groups across the region and beyond provide support.
The food bank is run entirely by volunteers, with less than five per cent of costs going to administration and fundraising.
There are currently several dozen volunteers helping out with the collection and sorting of food donations, preparation of hampers, and other tasks.
“We have a great group of volunteers,” he said. “We are blessed and we have lots of help.”
A food bank volunteer for 10 years, Thomson is in charge of the purchasing of food from cash donations.
Clients continue to be families and individuals from across the region, he said.
Longtime society director Patricia Graham says although things are relatively quiet at the food bank right now, she believes that could be about to change.
“It seems like maybe what’s happening is that people may have extra money because of the government hand-out,” said Graham. “We expect that we are going to get hit really, really bad someday soon.
“We believe that once (relief) money is gone it will be unbelievably busy. We are waiting for the storm that is going to happen, more likely sooner than later.”
She is confident that volunteers will be able to handle any increase in traffic that may be on the way.
“Our volunteers have been really good and stuck with us through all of this,” she said.
As far as donations, she said donors continue to be very generous.
“Right now we are sitting in a good position because we haven’t been as busy as we thought we were going to be,” she said.
Donations can be made at drop off boxes in Carstairs, Cremona, Didsbury, Olds and Sundre, at the food bank office at 5025 – 50th Street in Olds or by calling 403-556-1693.
“We are there to help whoever shows up at the door,” said Thomson.
