The local food bank has started raising funds and food for this year’s Christmas hampers.
The first big fundraising event for the Castlegar Community Harvest Food Bank this year will be the Miracle Marathon on Saturday, Dec. 9 at the Castlegar Safeway.
“They go out to all their bigger centre locations and they raise food and money for food banks. So they’ll be in Grand Forks, Trail, Nelson and it’s a thing they’ve done for several years and it’s a really good thing,” says Deb McIntosh, food bank director.
The CPR Holiday Train will also be stopping in Castlegar again this year, raising money and collecting food donations for the food bank.
The train is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 3:30 p.m. and there will be a performance by Alan Doyle and the Beautiful Band.
“That always generates a lot of money, a lot of food and a lot of goodwill for the month carrying forward,” says McIntosh.
Donations can also be made at the food bank, located in St. David’s Anglican Church, at the Kootenay Gallery of Art and at the Fireside Inn. Food can be dropped off at City Hall.
“This time of year we do put out a plea to people to ask for extras and we ask people to dig deep, and we ask that people in any community that has a food bank organization, or an agency that helps people, to give generously, because people are hurting out there and a little bit can go a long way,” says McIntosh.
Community Harvest expects to prepare around 250 hampers this year.
The food bank director also wanted to address some Facebook comments criticizing her and the food bank.
“I understand that there’s been some stuff out in Facebook land about what the food bank does, so I just want to make it perfectly clear that we’re a registered charity and you find all of our information online at the CRA site,” says McIntosh.
The Community Harvest Food Bank’s financial statements can be accessed by visiting canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/charities-giving/charities-listings.html and looking up the Community Harvest Food Bank. (Or click here.)
Last year the food bank’s total revenue was $84,401 and its total expenditures were $64,548.
From the charity’s perspective, the food bank’s annual revenue should always exceed its expenditures.
“Because we’re a charitable organization, we never know what’s going to come in. So to keep a buffer at the end of the year is prudent because you need to go into January, February, March when donations are very, very sparse,” McIntosh explains.
This year she expects there will be an extra cushion, thanks to the CPR Holiday Train and donations made on behalf of Chrissy Archibald.
Critics also raised questions about the charity’s annual general meetings.
McIntosh says the food bank holds an AGM every year. While this year’s AGM has already taken place, anyone interested in attending next year’s meeting can contact McIntosh.
“What I want people to understand is this: When you attack me because of my politics and go after the food bank you don’t hurt me. You don’t hurt me at all. You hurt the people that are using the service,” says McIntosh. “Because if those funds dry up because of political bullsh*t and people just wanting to attack, my clients are the ones who suffer.”
The food bank does not have any paid employees and none of their financials shows any compensation for full-time or part-time employees.
Though McIntosh says that low-income volunteers who help out a lot sometimes receive a small amount of compensation (cash or cheque) or a gift card for their time, and one volunteer who offers the use of his vehicle is compensated for gas.
“When somebody volunteers and they’re helping out the food bank and they themselves are low-income, but they give everything they have, they deserve to have a little something and I have no problem giving them that little something, nor does anyone else on the board,” says McIntosh.
Throughout the year the food bank runs programming from its space in the St. David’s Anglican Church, which is provided free of charge, along with utilities. The food bank provides food for its clients throughout the month, a drop-in meal three times a week, and free clothing and shoes donated by Mark’s and Central City Shoes.
Community Harvest also runs a shelter in Castlegar.
“It’s a hard one. It really is. It’s paid for out of general revenues and it’s $675 a month all in. We provide food of course when it’s needed,” says McIntosh. “And it’s set up for five people, but really because of the way things have been going, with the number of people that have been coming in, we can only take one at a time.”
She explains that the shelter is unmanned and runs on an honour system. Having multiple people in the shelter has led to fights, drinking and other negative behaviours. But Community Harvest is working toward a solution that will allow multiple people to stay there.
In some cases, the food bank is able to help people with utility bills.
Anyone wanting more information about the Community Harvest Food Bank can contact any of its four directors (as listed on the CRA website): Deb McIntosh, Val Field, Rob Lindskog or Elizabeth Heuther.
Directors can be reached via the food bank’s Facebook page at facebook.com/Community-Harvest-Food-Bank-and-Drop-In-Center-194111563522.