Salvation Army Food Bank Raises Hunger Awareness

by Salvation Army
Categories: Blog
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During the month of May, The Salvation Army Food Bank in Tisdale, Sask, used the Army’s Dignity Project as a basis to fundraise as well as educate the general public about issues surrounding poverty.

• The local newspaper wrote weekly columns on issues surrounding those who live in poverty using points from the Dignity Project for inspiration.
• The local food bank committee helped promote National Hunger Awareness Day (May 31).
• Articles surrounding poverty were printed in school newsletters.
• Donations from food drives in schools went to the food bank.
• The local co-op grocery stores prepackaged non-perishable food items and sold them at check-outs.
• The community college helped to pick up, deliver and sort donated food items.

About the Tisdale Food Bank

The Tisdale food bank has undergone significant changes over the past 18 months.

– A food bank committee was formed, which includes representatives from Mental Health, Good Food Box, Ministerial, Kelsey Trail Health Region (nutritionist), Cumberland Community College and a north east intersectoral committee chair.
– Five churches are now taking one week out of every five to create and distribute hampers to clients. This has created greater awareness of the needs in the community and allowed the churches to be an active part of responding to needs.
– The food bank has added milk, eggs, bread and cereal to its list of ingredients as a direct result of the recommendation of the nutritionist and a grant from the Saskatchewan Potash Corporation.
– The food bank has partnered with the Good Food Box to supply fresh fruit and vegetables to families with children.
– Food bank committee members have been active in fundraising events.

The food bank has seen an increase in usage over the past two years going from 100 to 500 families per year. Given the population of Tisdale is 3,500 people, this is significant.