Montague food bank calls for donations amid busy back-to-school season
'There's always families that are in need and it doesn't matter what time of year'
The Southern Kings and Queens Food Bank in Montague, P.E.I. is trying to raise awareness about the increased need for donations during the back-to-school season.
Vivian Dourte, treasurer at the food bank, said it typically serves nearly 190 families per month. But during the months of September and October, that number climbs by between 30 and 50 families.
"It's back to school, a lot of people are finding it tough," Dourte said. "The kids have grown so they need new school clothes and everything cuts into the food budget."
Dourte said the back-to-school season comes with several additional costs, which makes it one of the busiest times of year at the food bank.
"The school supplies honestly are very expensive and when you have younger children they have this huge list that they have to bring and that also cuts into the food budget," she said.
Decreasing donations
Dourte said the number of donations coming into the food bank has decreased over the past few months, which can make meeting the increased need a challenge. She said donations will begin to pick up again between now and Christmas — and then taper off.
"They just kind of stop," Dourte said. "That's … where we use the cash donations, for instance, because then we have to continue to buy the food. The need doesn't go down, just the donations don't come in."
She said while the food bank appreciates the generosity around the holidays, she encourages people to consider donating throughout the summer and fall to help prepare for the busy back-to-school season.
"There's always families that are in need and it doesn't matter what time of year, they need to eat," Dourte said.
Packed lunch program
Dourte said to help offset the added financial cost of the new school year, the food bank runs a packed lunch program for families with school-aged children. The Lunch4Kidz program provides snacks, drinks and other lunch items for each child of a family in need.
"We try to provide a full week, so five days, worth of lunch, snacks and juice boxes for the kids because those things can add up," Dourte said.
Dourte said during the last school year, the food bank donated about 40 packed lunches per week and she expects the need this year to be the same.
Frank Dourte, coordinator at the food bank, said the packed lunch program is meant to make going back to school less stressful for families and kids alike.
"You already have enough anxiety, who your new teacher is going to be, you know whether you can keep up with the homework and all that," Dourte said. "If we can help out a little bit I think that will go a long way."
Vivian Dourte said the food bank is asking for donations like juice boxes, granola bars and fruits and vegetables to help keep the packed lunch program going throughout the school year.
She said the food bank will also be updating its Facebook page weekly to let the community know what types of donations it needs.
The food bank is also accepting donations of school supplies, Dourte said, which its staff will distribute to schools in need.