Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” So it is with the St. Albert Community Village and Food Bank.
Last year was a tough year for many Albertans and 2016 is proving to be just as difficult. But, if we were to look for a positive in an otherwise gloomy economic picture, it is that St. Albert residents are more than willing to step up and help their neighbours through these challenging times. In November and December of 2015 our community donated more than 122,000 lbs. of food to the St. Albert Food Bank. This provided the critical support the food bank needed to deal with a large increase in the number of clients seeking help.
What is also encouraging is to see that more St. Albert residents are educating themselves about poverty. They have come to realize that many people, through no fault of their own, have found themselves in need of the services of the food bank. As unsettling as it is, there is the realization that this could happen to anyone and there may be a time in their lives where they have to rely on the help of others. There are a lot of reasons that people have come to the St. Albert Community Village and Food Bank for help. Some clients are working, but don’t make enough money to live on, others may have mental health issues, still more are fleeing domestic violence, and others have a disability.
When we talk with our clients we hear the same thing, they are thankful that the SAFB and Community Village exists. They can’t imagine trying to navigate the often confusing social assistance system on their own and they are glad that there are people who can help guide them to the services they need. This is what the SAFB and Community Village does. We know it isn’t just about getting people food, it is much more complicated than that. Not everyone needs the same support services. There is no one size fits all. We do our best to listen to the client and create an action plan that will help them get to the services they need. The variety of services we offer are as diverse as the clients we serve. Among the services we offer are: advocacy, rental assistance, financial literacy, resume writing and interviewing skills and stress reduction/self-esteem building programs.
We are constantly improving and expanding on the services we currently offer and have created programs that reflect the needs of the clients we serve. The Community Cultural Kitchen is one of those programs. Every second Tuesday a volunteer chooses to introduce their culture by demonstrating how to make a food item. This is a great way for people to learn about the cultural diversity of the people living in their community and promote greater understanding.
Just as we have provided help to our clients to have them grow stronger, we are stronger as a result of the support we get from our community stakeholders. The SAFB and Community Village is what it is today because of its many volunteers and the assistance provided by various service clubs, churches, partner agencies, community organizations and private and corporate donations. We are confident that we will weather the current economy and be able to provide the support our clients so desperately need.
Suzan Krecsy is the director of the St. Albert Community Village and Food Bank.
