Photo by Vince Fedoroff
SHELVES NEED SOME WEIGHT – Kyla Merkel, the Whitehorse Food Bank’s executive director, stands with some of the shelves she and her staff would like to see replenished with food for the community’s needy.
Whitehorse Food Bank is hungry for donations
The shelves at the Whitehorse Food Bank are once again becoming bare as the emergency food service approaches its year-end.
The shelves at the Whitehorse Food Bank are once again becoming bare as the emergency food service approaches its year-end.
Kyla Merkel, the food bank’s executive director, said in an interview this morning the bank continues to keep its “head above water” providing food to clients.
However, this is always a difficult time of year as grant money runs out and food donations begin to dwindle prior to the next big food drive in early October.
The food bank’s year-end is Sept. 30.
“We’re still able to fill hampers,” Merkel said.
A couple of corporations stepped up with donations to ensure there are groceries available to clients, she added.
Continued food and cash donations would be a big help to keep things going at the food bank this time of year, she said.
While food will help the organization in a very direct way to keep clients fed, Merkel noted the cash that comes in helps the organization purchase food at a discount.
As an example, she noted, through the discount, the food bank can get a can of soup for 50 cents compared to the more than $1 it would cost otherwise.
Cash donations also go toward keeping the food bank operational: paying the utility bills, mortgage, wages and other expenses.
While donations are welcome anytime, the food bank will have a truck stationed at the Yukon Employees’ Union’s annual Feed the People barbecue set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Labour Day (Sept. 7) at Shipyards Park.
Along with food donations of non-perishables, residents can also sign up for the Green Apple Club, where automatic monthly donations of at least $10 are made through a credit card or direct deposit.
Those who sign up for the club before Sept. 30 will be entered into a draw for an Air North flight, Merkel said, noting “it’s a good time for people to get in.”
Merkel also noted the food bank has also been working to make birthdays a little more special for children whose families are food bank clients.
The food bank adds a box of cake mix and frosting to the food hampers when there is a child in the family having a birthday.
The bank also wants to provide a small birthday gift. It’s accepting donations of small, new toys in their original packaging to provide to the families.
Of the food bank’s 1,500 clients, it’s estimated 310 are children.
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Comments (4)
Up 7 Down 0
Yukon 56 on Sep 4, 2015 at 8:00 pm
What do you give June????
Up 16 Down 4
June Jackson on Sep 2, 2015 at 11:10 am
Josey: Yup... you are right.. but I despise this government so deeply I wouldn't like to miss an opportunity to take a shot at them. AND.. every one of them have gotten very rich, except perhaps the Paz, who was already rich, (he just got richer) out of the taxpayers dollars..The least they could do would be to jump in the Jaguar with a can of beans for the Food Bank.
Up 8 Down 7
Josey Wales on Sep 1, 2015 at 12:31 pm
Hey June...it is a "Whitehorse" food bank not a community traveling catering truck.
I suggest better aim at the proper idiots, like our civic overlords...it is "their" town remember and "their" money they piss away the likes of which yet too see.
Reset your scope, your shooting a little high.
Why not ask the softball association, or SIMA, maybe raid eco funds to aid those who are hungry...they have laundered gobs-O-money from our "disposable income" via civic overlords?
Yes the other idiots play a role indeed, but I feel the civic end of things need be reminded.
....oh what a town we have become...eh?
Up 41 Down 6
June Jackson on Aug 31, 2015 at 5:00 pm
I'm sorry.. there is no money for the food bank because the Paz party is saving upwards of $8 Million dollars for a soccer field. OH..here's an idea, maybe the Paz party can take more away from Seniors! They are planning on doing that anyway, but perhaps some of that money grab can go to the Food Bank. Hmmmm what Minister is it driving the Jaguar? Maybe Doug Graham would donate some of his abundant paycheck to the food bank? Set a shining example for the other Ministers?
Just throwing ideas out there..