'This is all about accessibility': Red Deer Food Bank opens new location
Red Deer Food Bank Society and The Mustard Seed have teamed up to address growing need
The Red Deer Food Bank Society and The Mustard Seed have partnered to open a second, central food bank location in Red Deer, Alta.
Operating from inside the Mustard Seed at 6002 54th Ave., the new satellite location opened on Thursday.
While just three kilometres south from the main location, Fred Scaife, executive director of the Red Deer Food Bank Society, said the central location is about a decade overdue.
"I've been trying establish something like this for over 10 years," Scaife said. "The Mustard Seed presented us with the space … we look forward to this relationship with them, but mostly I look forward to seeing clients happier and their lives made better simply because we've put a location here."
Mustard Seed helping
Byron Bradley, managing director of central Alberta Mustard Seed, said the new location was made a reality thanks to a generous private gift from an anonymous donor.
The Mustard Seed has been operating in Red Deer for just over a year, and Bradley said the partnership with the Red Deer Food Bank Society will allow both organizations to help more people.
"The fact that the first three clients today are all within walking distance just goes to show this is going to be a fantastic opportunity, especially for the most vulnerable in our community," Bradley said.
"The needs are high, the city has been hurt a lot," Bradley said. "A lot of people in the service field, in the oil field… There's about 300,000 people in central Alberta, a lot of them use Red Deer as their central hub."
'It's hard on everybody'
Alice Kolisnyk, deputy director of the Red Deer Food Bank Society, said more than 700 hampers were give out in July, almost 100 more hampers than the same moth last year.
"Because the economy has hit everybody so hard this go-around, we've never seen increases like this before and demand like this ever," Kolisnyk said.
There has been a steady increase in the number of people requesting help from the food bank, Kolisnyk said, noting more families and "ordinary folk" are using their services.
"It's hard on everybody, just having to swallow that pride a little bit and ask for the help," Kolisnyk said. "And that's what we're here to do, and teaming up with The Mustard Seed is just a great fit for everybody involved."
'A lot of people can't make it up the hill'
Scaife said the north food bank at 7429 49th Ave. is still the main base of operations for the food bank, but the new location will be more convenient for people with mobility issues.
"This is all about accessibility, that's what drives this," said Scaife.
"This is going to give (clients) the opportunity to not waste resources — just have it in their own neighbourhood and be able to access it easy. That's the beautiful thing about this."
Joanne Anderson is one of those clients. Anderson says she has never used the food bank before the new location opened this week.
"I think it's ideal, a lot of people can't make it up the hill," Anderson said. "We would go up the hill if we had to, but they told us on the phone that they were open here for pickup."
The new Red Deer Food Bank Society location is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. To request a hamper pickup, call the north location at 403-342-5355.