Paramedics and ambulances were outside Save On Foods in Burns Lake last weekend collecting donations for The Link food bank.
Executive Director Scott Zayac said about $6,000 was raised and 830 kilograms of food collected.
“If we put a dollar value on the food that was donated, it’s about another $6,500.”
The Lakes District Ambulance Society hosted the drive, and Zayac said the donations were well received by the staff and volunteers at The Link.
“As we get close to Christmas, there’s greater need in the community. It’s also the time where we raise 60 to 70 percent of our donations so it helps sustain our program through the whole year.”
Most of the donations will be distributed through hampers at their main location, with some hampers being delivered through their mobile food bank.
“Over the whole year, we have about 1,100 clients with 32 per cent being youth and 23 per cent being seniors,” said Zayac.
“We notice that during the winter, we see people more often than during the summer. I think the access to gardens, hunting, and fishing makes food a little more available.”
Recent years have seen the number of clients plateau, with a small uptick in new clients in the past few months.
The Link is preparing for a toy drive later this month with donations going toward their annual Secret Santa Workshop.
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