Cranbrook Food Bank struggling with supply, staff shortages ahead of busy holiday season

The Cranbrook Food Bank is struggling to keep up with demand as it faces staff shortages and supply chain issues.

The non-profit organization in British Columbia's East Kootenay now has more than 2,700 regular clients, an increase of 53 per cent over the last two years — and amounting to 12 per cent of Cranbrook's population.

Food bank operations manager Julie Rose says the organization is struggling to get enough food in and is having to decrease the amount it gives out in some areas.

"It's such an enormous increase in the number of people we're seeing and it's hard to keep up with the demand — and everything is so much more expensive," said Rose. 

"The reality is, if someone used to spend $100 when they went to buy some groceries for our [annual] fundraiser, it used to buy three bags of food, and now it's just one."

The Cranbrook Food Bank is also no longer receiving shipments of food from Calgary through the National Food Sharing System, due to a surge in demand in Calgary, Rose says — although it has been able to lean on Food Banks B.C. and the Kelowna Food Bank to help supplement its needs.

Donations from local grocery stores and monetary donations from the community are also essential, Rose says. 

 She says hunger affects all walks of life in the community. 

"It's entrepreneurs, it's sometimes unhoused people, it's coaches, it's your neighbour. It's someone who checks you out at Superstore, at Walmart. Hunger doesn't discriminate," she said.  

Volunteers crucial

Adding to the challenges is the fact that two full-time employees at the food bank recently moved to other positions. 

Thankfully, Rose says, an army of 80 to 100 volunteers — including some of the city's youngest residents — continues to make sure everyone is fed.

Gage Wilhelm and his Grade 4/5 classmates from Kootenay Orchards Elementary School were at the food bank on Thursday to volunteer their time ahead of the school's holiday food drive.

Every year the school does a Jingle Bell Walk, where students gather donations from homes in their catchment area and sing Christmas carols. 

"You're with some of your best friends and you're helping out with something that has quite a noble cause," Wilhelm said of the fundraiser. 

"It's always fun getting to enjoy the fresh air and knowing that you're helping with something."

His teacher, Anneli Schadeli agrees.

"Some kids have experienced issues with food security, and lots haven't. So it's just really nice for them to understand that there's a lot of people in our community that are struggling with food security, and the growing number of people that are struggling with it," she said. 

Shopping model helping with supplies, stigma

Rose says the Cranbrook Food Bank's newly implemented shopping model has helped with some of the supply issues it's experiencing. 

The model, introduced last fall, allows clients to shop the shelves as they would at a grocery store, rather than receiving a hamper. 

Clients are paired with a volunteer who acts as a personal shopper, and together they are able to choose what they want from each section of the store. There is a limit on most items for each family or individual. 

"A real wonderful part of this is the personal connection with our volunteers and the learning that happens," said Rose. 

"The sharing of recipes, the sharing of stories, and the support that goes on." 

It also helps to better inform what the food bank needs more or less of, reducing the amount of waste. 

Rose says on average, each client or household is taking home about 25 per cent less, helping to offset the increase in clients. 

Rose says the food bank is looking to the community for support especially now, as it prepares for a busy holiday season. 

She says donations of higher-priced items like peanut butter, jam and toilet paper are needed, as well as monetary donations.

She says her biggest concern is making sure everyone is fed. 

"If you show up here at the Cranbrook Food Bank and you say you need help, we are here to help, it doesn't matter," Rose said.