Benefit concert striking a chord for food banks

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on February 8, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

The University of Lethbridge Singers will be hosting a benefit concert on Friday to collect funds for the Interfaith Food Bank, the Lethbridge Food Bank and the University of Lethbridge Student Union Food Bank.

Executive director of the Interfaith Food Bank, Danielle McIntyre said they are lucky to be benefiting from this concert as they are in dire need of donations.

“They’ve invited a bunch of different performers to come out. It’ll start at 7:30 this coming Friday night at Southminster United Church. There is a suggested $20 donation, with all the proceeds going to support the three food banks and the performances will be wide and varied,” said McIntyre.

She said there will be performances by the University of Lethbridge Singers, University of Lethbridge Opera Singers, folk singer John Wort Hannam and pianist Brad Parker among others.

“It’ll be a great showcase of local talent,” said McIntyre.

McIntyre explained that the funds collected are not being spent in any specific way, but if any donors specifically asked for their donation to be earmarked in a specific way, they will always honour their donor’s request.

She said that when receiving general donations, they will spend money on making sure they have consistent hamper stocks.

“The hamper is five to seven days worth of food, mostly non-perishable items like pasta, sauce, cereal, canned foods. With the hamper, they get one box for a calendar month that’s got five to seven days- worth of servings in it for their household size. And then on top of that hamper, we will always make sure that there is a meat unit, frozen potatoes and some other items that are perishable that come out to the client from the rear warehouse,” said McIntyre.

 She said therefore hamper stock is something they will consistently use community donation money to buy if the stock itself is not donated.

 “But in between hampers, because people need to eat every day, we invite people to come to what we call our pick room, an open area in client services where people can choose the items they like,” said McIntyre.

 She said in the pick room, they can choose perishable items like fresh produce, bakery items and some frozen items that are not part of the hamper.

 “Normally we would be picking up all of the distressed produce – day old bread, things like that from our local grocers and bakers. But because groceries are so very expensive right now, and people are willing to pay for the day old stuff or for the distress produce, the grocery stores will sell it as opposed to donating it to the food banks,” said McIntyre.

 She said because of that, they haven’t had the luxury of having all of the surplus from the grocers, which means they do not have the luxury of offering it to their client families.

McIntyre said people can donate perishables that are packaged from factory as well as money that can be directed to be used for perishables purchases.

“We’re so grateful for the community support. We don’t want to suggest in any way that the community has not been giving us enough, because they really have. They’ve been going over and above to make sure that our shelves are stocked,” said McIntyre.

 She said they are just in one of those circumstances right now where more people are in need of the food bank, and it is something that is likely going to be long term.

 “While we’re always grateful for the support we receive, we want the community to be prepared as we will probably going to be asking a lot this year,” said McIntyre.

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