The Estevan Salvation Army has navigated the storm caused by COVID-19’s arrival, and now is slowly getting back to its regular pace.
With the new school year just around the corner, they continue to accept applications for their backpack program until Aug. 14. This program is to help offset the school-related costs for parents in lower-income families during this time of the year.
The Salvation Army cannot provide all needed school supplies, but they do their best to give families a good start. Those who apply for the program receive a backpack filled with the necessities ready for pick up on a designated day. Depending on the grade in their backpacks students will find loose leaf paper, one or two-inch binders, white erasers, rulers, pencils, pens, crayons, markers, duotangs, exercise books, dividers, glue sticks and pencil cases.
Jane Anne Ireland, who is responsible for community services, said that people can fill out applications at the Salvation Army’s family services office from Tuesdays-Fridays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. They just need to ask for Ireland or Lynn Rosso.
Ireland noted that they expect to see more people applying as so far, they are lower than in previous years.
“We are a little bit lower right now, which initially surprised me. But maybe it’s because kids have some supplies left over from last year because for part of their year they weren’t in school.”
The backpack content provided by the Salvation Army will be the same as before.
Since the end of June, the demand for the Salvation Army’s food bank service went back to regular. In July they supported 39 families, which is on par with last July. However, despite the significant rise in demand for their service in late spring and early summer, the food bank’s shelves remain quite full.
“We’ve had very good support through food donations and monetary donations. Estevan is a very generous community to help keep the food bank going to help those who are in need,” said Ireland.
Nevertheless, there are some items that the Salvation Army’s food bank needs on a regular basis. The list of high demand, non-perishable items includes spaghetti sauces, peanut butter and jam, juice boxes, baking items, tea, pudding cups, Jello, canned meat, soda, crackers, boxed potatoes, rice, pasta and Hamburger Helper.
“As hampers go out, these (items) deplete on a fairly regular basis,” explained Ireland.
Not only have their numbers gone back to normal, but also the general procedure of getting hampers to patrons returned to how it was before March.
“We just have to sanitize a little bit more, in between every person that comes in I spray everything down and wipe everything up,” said Ireland.
The regular Canada Post food drive, which had been in June the past couple of years, was postponed until further notice. There were also a few other fundraisers in development, but COVID put a hold on those initiatives as well. However, Ireland said that the generosity of the community helped offset the needs.
Ireland also added that from 10-11 a.m. Monday-Friday, people can come in for free bread, buns and sometimes sweet treats donated by the Southern Plains Co-op and Sobeys at the food bank door.
