The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition presented plans today to establish the territory's first food bank in the late fall of 2008.

'We can all see the need in our community,' coalition member Charlotte Hrenchuk told a news conference this morning. 'There are hungry people here.'

Before the food bank can happen, a yet-to-be-set-up Whitehorse Food Bank Society will have to fundraise about $250,000 and find a downtown location from which to run the operation.

Coalition co-chairs Ross Findlater and Julie MÈnard presented the document, Whitehorse Food Bank: A Practical Implementation, which is a study prepared by consultants at Skyward Outreach Services. The study was funded largely by the Department of Health and Social Services.

'We expect to approach all levels of government for funding; that's the first nations, the City of Whitehorse, because after all, it's their residents going hungry,' said Findlater. 'Clearly, there's a lot of work to be done and money to be identified.'

The study proposes two options that will determine the food bank's total start-up costs.

'We can rent or we can buy,' said Findlater.

The plan includes estimated heating and electricity costs, and staff payroll amounts.

The study estimates a food bank with a property lease will cost $258,834 in startup costs the first year. That figure is $241, 638 if the food bank runs out of a purchased property.

Land availability has been limited, especially in downtown Whitehorse, and Findlater acknowledged this roadblock.

'It's a real issue,' he said. 'We're hopeful that both the business community and land owners would be willing to do some community support.'

Findlater said he knows the plan is ambitious, but he has seen the generosity of Yukoners before and believes it is possible.

There is a great need for this service, said coalition member Sheila Rose.

Maryhouse and the Salvation Army currently run emergency food services, but there are great limits on these programs, and they don't help residents who are struggling to pay rent, but who are not living on the streets.

'A family can only go for emergency food once every five weeks,' she said. There is a need for a full-service food bank.'

The food bank would be open simply to anyone who is hungry, said MÈnard.

'There's students, single moms, the working poor, people who struggle to pay rent, it could be everyone, from people on the streets to a single mom,' she said.

'There are many people who are struggling, people on social assistance,' said Findlater.

'People have been telling us and the government that they have to spend their food money on their rent, and by the third week of the month, they don't have any money for food.'

The coalition members said they envisioned the new food bank will be more than a centre for handouts.

'This will turn out of charity into helping people take up the challenge themselves, to learn to help themselves,' said Rose.

'Maybe it will be a community-focused centre, maybe a healthy moms program, give out recipes, who knows? It could go very far.'

'It will be a place where people can come in with their dignity and leave with their dignity intact,' said Hrenchuk.

Findlater said so far, 70 people have offered to volunteer their services at the food bank.

A meeting will be held in the next few weeks with prospective volunteers to discuss the next steps in setting up the food bank.