By meadowlakeNOW

M.L. Door of Hope food bank preparing for Christmas

Nov 21, 2016 | 10:00 AM

As Christmas draws closer, Meadow Lake’s Door of Hope Food Bank will see an increase in the amount of hampers it hands out and this year recipients will have something new in it.

Towards the end of November through until the end of December, Executive Director Unita Esau said there’s an increase in need.

“There’s a lot more pressure on people’s finances and sometimes if we need food, we go and talk to the food bank,” Esau said.

This year, thanks to community donations and a donation from Turkey Farmers of Canada through the Foodbank of Saskatchewan, Esau said Christmas hampers will have either a turkey or ham in them, depending on family size.

She added items the food bank is looking for to fill hampers include canned pork and beans, canned tomatoes and other non-perishable food items.

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“People are very generous to us during Christmas, they are during the rest of the year as well, but Christmas is special to most of us so we tend to get more donations,” Esau said.

While the food bank goes through more food in December compared to the other 11 months of the year, Esau doesn’t have specific numbers.

The Door of Hope food bank, Esau explained, is utilized by referral only. Several agencies can fill out an application and fax it to the Door of Hope. Some agencies include the Friendship Centre, Kids First, the Door of Hope Clinic and the Ministry of Social Services.

“If someone just needs (a hamper) at Christmas that’s fine, just fill out the application and we’ll absolutely have a hamper ready for you,” Esau said.

Esau added the Door of Hope is doing a toy drive as well, separate from the food hampers. She said families can receive toys and hampers separately depending on the need.

“We realize there’s some families out there who don’t use the food bank, who are struggling and could just use something for the kids,” she said.

Colton Swiderski is meadowlakeNOW’s municipal affairs, crime and court, health and education reporter. He can be reached at cswiderski@jpbg.ca or tweet him @coltonswiderski.