As the need for help increases, a food bank in Happy Valley-Goose Bay is giving out grocery store vouchers as well as food to people in need.
Jill Elson, community outreach worker at the Labrador Friendship Centre, which operates the food bank, told CBC News that people who comes to the Centre get items that the food bank has in house and a voucher for a local store.
She said we give the choice back to the individual on what they want to purchase.
The person can than to either of the grocery stores in Goose Bay and buy their choice of meat, vegetables, milk and eggs. Previously the food bank options on site were limited to milk, apples, oranges, and hamburger meat.
Elson said Labrador Friendship Centre has gotten a lot of positive feedback so far on its new voucher program and that it’s very, very busy, adding they try their best everyone who needs use of the food bank.
The rising food costs are having affect on the food bank users as well as the food bank’s own orders. The food bank uses over $6,000 on a recent order just 2 or 3 weeks ago and they are preparing another order because they are starting to run out of items.
Elson added everyone is feeling that crunch across Canada, but unfortunately those who are on fixed income support and low income, they’re really, really feeling it this time of the year.