The Estevan Salvation Army is going to host a food drive on June 26 in an effort to replenish the shelves of the food bank before summer vacation.
The food drive will happen from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. that day. With the slogan of “Drive, buy and then drop by,” the ministry is encouraging people to drive to a grocery store to purchase items, and then deliver the items to the food bank.
“We’ll have volunteers to unload your vehicle, and we’re just trying to get our shelves a little fuller going into the … summer season,” said Ronza Reynard, the director of ministry for the Salvation Army in Estevan. “We’re just excited to bring some excitement to the food bank, some awareness to the food bank.”
The Salvation Army won’t have people circulating the community to pick up donations from in front of residences.
“We will be taking any non-perishable items. Anything you see at the store that you think we can use in the food bank,” said Reynard.
The past 15 months during the COVID-19 pandemic have been challenging, and the Salvation Army wants to remind companies, families and individuals that they can help.
Traditionally Canada Post employees would spearhead a food drive for the Salvation Army each year. While they won’t be taking the lead on the food drive this time, they have been helping the Salvation Army get posters out into the community.
“I do believe it’s one of the first food drives that we’ve done ourselves,” said Reynard. “A lot of times, it’s the Canada Post food drive, or it is somebody in the community doing the food drive, and they bring it to us.”
The shelves at the food bank are at about 60-65 per cent capacity. They haven’t received a lot of food donations, but when people come by with cash support, the Salvation Army orders the food.
“We’re ordering the food as needed. It’s not the same as in years past where you’d come by and our shelves were super full. Now we’re just maintaining and ordering as needed,” said Reynard.
The Salvation Army has been trying to have some form of a late spring food drive in recent years, since the donations tend to slow down in the summer. The Canada Post food drive was in June instead of September in 2019.
“However, the need does not slow down. And so we want people to be aware that we are here over the summer. We’re not taking the summer off. We’ll be here. If people need us, come on down. We will help them. If somebody wants to donate money or food or time, come and see us. We have lots of available volunteer spots.”
The Weyburn Salvation Army is holding a food drive on June 26 as well. As the director of ministry for both Estevan and Weyburn, Reynard said there might be a little healthy competition or even a fun wager between the two cities to see who will bring in the most food.
