The Elliot Lake Emergency Food Bank made a funding request of $25k annually to support the local food bank, at an October 24, budget input meeting, a new initiative announced the previous week.
“We are struggling due to the high cost of living and the increased usage of our services,” food bank president, Len Kutchaw, told City staff, councillors, and local citizens.
“Pre-COVID, up to the year 2019, we averaged about 200 households a month with an average of about 35 children being served in a month.”
“Post-COVID, we are now up to 300 households a month and the number of children we are feeding is around 130 to 150 per month,” Kutchaw said.
“We are literally helping the working poor, those residents who need our help to get through the month.”
The emergency food bank’s presentation informed that the $25k request is approximately 10 per cent of their annual operating cost; they have one part-time paid employee, the Intake Coordinator.
Volunteers supply approximately 2,000 volunteer hours per year and the board members are also unpaid volunteers, the presentation reported.
Kutchaw described, "Established in 1992, the Elliot Lake Emergency Food Bank has been serving the community for 32 years as a registered non-profit charity."
And a presentation slide listed other community wellness endeavours the food bank supports including:
- Algoma Social Services
- Club 90 Mental Health Agency
- Larry’s Place Men’s Shelter
- Central School Programs
- The Beehive
- Harvest Kitchen
- Maplegate Women’s Shelter
- Elliot Lake School Food Program
Kutchaw: “We are an integral part of the Community Wellness program so we ask that you please support our efforts."
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