Erin Katerynych, executive director of the Battlefords District Food and Resource Centre, says the centre is struggling to keep up with the needs of hundreds of families as donations drop and demand continues to rise. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

By Kenneth Cheung

FOOD INSECURITY

Battlefords food bank calls for support as food costs climb and shelves run low

May 6, 2025 | 5:44 PM

“Friday is my favorite day.”

That’s what one eight-year-old boy told a school liaison—not because it marked the start of the weekend, but because it meant he’d have food to eat at home.

That moment underscores just how critical the food bank’s Food for Kids program has become according to Erin Katerynych, executive director of the Battlefords District Food and Resource Centre (BDFRC),

The initiative provides small bags of food for children to take home each Friday to ensure they have meals over the weekend—especially important during the spring, when donations tend to drop off.

“May and June are always harder months for the food bank because our shelves are always pretty empty,” she said.

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Compared to last year, the food bank received about 10,000 pounds less food over the holiday season—typically a time to stock up for the months ahead. To fill the gap, Katerynych said they’ve had to purchase a lot of food just to make ends meet.

Rising costs have also forced the centre to reduce what goes into each child’s weekend food bag.

“We’ve noticed that a lot of that food has doubled in price and we’ve had to cut back on our Food for Kids, actual bags, what’s in them, because we’re just not getting it anymore,” Katerynych said, adding that even basic items like juice boxes are also getting out of reach.

The Food for Kids program is just one of 14 programs the centre offers throughout the year. Another is its baby program, which provides formula, baby food, and diapers to families in need.

She said the food bank also supports women in the community through a feminine hygiene initiative, currently funded by a short-term grant.

“Right now, we give out to 500 women every month to get feminine hygiene products,” she said, adding that the grant will only last for six months.

Other basic items—like shampoo, conditioner, and laundry detergent—are also in high demand, but rarely donated.

The strain at the food bank reflects a broader crisis facing families across the country. According to the 2025 Canada’s Food Price Report from four Canadian universities, including the University of Saskatchewan, food prices increased by 2.8 per cent in 2024 and are expected to keep rising. As a result, a typical family of four in Canada is projected to spend $16,833.67 annually on food, an increase of $801.56 from 2024.

BDFRC supports about 650 households each month, Nearly half of them include children, 18 per cent are people with disabilities, and 15 per cent are seniors. On top of running food programs, staff are also working to empower clients through food education.

“We are currently working on our own garden right now, called a lasagna garden, also known as a compost garden,” Katerynych said.

“We’re looking for volunteers or anybody who wants to help us out with that and we’d like to show our clients how to grow their own garden as well.”

Warehouse supervisor Colins Areh. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

Warehouse supervisor Colins Areh said the food bank’s impact goes far beyond providing food—it offers hope and human connection.

“You see the hunger in town and having hope that there is one meal for them every day,” he said. “I see a smile on their face when they come in the morning, line up the door, waiting for the door to open for one meal.”

He said even small donations can have a ripple effect.

“You take one person out of the street, you have a whole society,” Areh said. “So the need to contribute to one person’s life is important to the whole community.”

He added, “We’re calling on everybody to bring their $1, $2, their rice at home, just to help one person.”

The food bank is currently running a virtual food drive and accepting donations of non-perishable food, baby supplies, hygiene products, and fresh produce. Gardeners are also encouraged to take part in the Plant a Row, Grow a Row campaign by planting an extra row of vegetables in their gardens and donating the harvest directly to the food bank.

For more information, go on to www.battlefordsfoodbank.ca.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com