St. Albert is a rich community. Look around and it is not hard to see the wealth – large houses, expensive cars, boats and other recreational toys parked in many driveways.
Family income in St. Albert is considerably higher than the provincial average, too. Back in 2013, Money Sense reported the average family income here was $139,628, almost double the provincial average of $74,000. The magazine rated St. Albert the number one city in Canada.
But, at the same time, 14 per cent of city families have an income of under $50,000. And, those familiar with the St. Albert Housing Society’s HOMEconnection program know the families benefitting from that initiative earn less than $20,000 annually.
When you have hungry mouths to feed and bills to pay, that is not enough money and places families in the difficult and stressful situation of having to choose between paying to house their children or feed them.
While it can be easy to hide poverty in affluent cities, St. Albert is not blind to the plight of those who might be less fortunate.
With the help of many organizations and individuals, this community digs deep to help to support the works of organizations such as the Salvation Army, food bank and the housing society – to name a few.
Tuesday’s Housing Society’s sixth annual Homestyle Breakfast is one event that goes a long way to helping families in need. According to its website that program is geared toward raising money for “housing and supportive services for single-parent families with limited incomes, victims of domestic violence who need to re-establish a safe home environment and seniors living at or below the poverty line with no savings to draw on.”
The initiative works in partnership with Stop Abuse in Families.
Each year that event raises thousands to assist that program and we expect similar results this year.
This year’s annual food bank drive also demonstrated the generosity of St. Albertans. Held in September, the goal of the drive was to gather 50,000 lbs. of food donations. Not only did it meet that goal, it surpassed last year’s donations by 5,000 lbs. generating 60,357 lbs.
While the figure is impressive, perhaps more admirable is the lengths many people went to, in order to help feed needy families in the community.
Schools held their own drives to support the food bank’s initiative, a youth group held a fundraiser to purchase turkeys for families and Muriel Martin elementary along with other city gardeners grew nearly 5,000 lbs. of fresh produce.
While the hope is for all families to reach a point that they are self-sufficient, it is heartwarming to know they have the support of a generous community to back them up in times of need.
