SUNDRE — After largely remaining steady throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand at the Plus 1 Food Hamper program recently increased.
McDougal Chapel pastor Kent Janz, who previously spoke with The Albertan towards the end of March, said when contacted on Wednesday, June 17 that requests for hampers had only just started going up.
“I don’t know if funding is slowed down or whatever it is, but we’ve all of the sudden had a lot of requests,” said Janz.
Someone he had recently talked with informed him they had been digging into their savings to get by throughout the lockdown, but had just run out.
“That’s what somebody told me just this week,” he said.
“So we’ve had a steady steam of people (over the past few months), but it’s about to get busier.”
Anyone who could use a hamper is encouraged to call 403-636-0554, he said, adding contributions are of course also always welcome.
“If they want to give to help people get hampers, call the same number.”
During the pandemic, the service has gone above and beyond providing food, he added.
Some of the resources and proceeds given by the community were used to obtain gas cards so people can get to appointments, while arrangements were also made with others to provide access to mental health counselling, he said.
“The community’s been so good — you have no idea how generous this community is. It’s unbelievable.”
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