INCREASED CHRISTMAS HAMPER DEMAND
The Salvation Army is asking for help in making Christmas special this year.
A record demand of 330 Christmas Hampers will be taxing the resources of the Swift Current Salvation Army this holiday season.
Captain Charlotte Dean gave this sobering statistic at Swift Current City Council meeting on Monday during a proclamation of the week of December 1 to 7 as Salvation Army Week - Giving Hope Today.
“This year the total number of applications so far, and we still have more coming in, is over 330 families. That’s 60 more than last year and quite a significant increase for a community of this size,” Capt. Dean explained to City Council.
“It doesn’t come as a complete surprise to us. We’ve been having a very noticeable increase in Food Bank usage over the last number of months.”
She noted that she personally went through the Christmas Hamper application process with a number of the families over the past few weeks, and learned first hand of the circumstances some families are finding themselves in this year.
“It was not unheard of, in fact it was fairly common, to discover that we had families who after taking out expenses like rent and utilities, were left with often $30 a month or less towards food and gifts per person in the family. So the need is great and the support and strength of the community is of significant importance.”
Now that individuals and families have applied for hampers, they are being reminded that support is not just available at Christmas but goes on throughout the year.
Capt. Dean said a common reaction from Christmas Hamper applicants was that they hadn’t thought of applying at other times of the year. Some had commented, “I guess I always assumed that’s my problem, not the problem of others.”
She also noted that the Food Bank receives free bakery items provided by city stores, but even with this generous support there is not enough to meet the demand.
“They only get the bread or the baked goods that are there, if they are one of the lucky ones. Almost as soon as the doors open a flood of people come in and the bread is often gone in just a few minutes.”
Ironically, a recent needs assessment highlighted that there are more services needed for Swift Current and region.
“We need more accessibility to feeding programs. There is a lot more need here than what is actually being matched within the community.”
The Salvation Army also delivers a number of year round programs and services in the community.
“Often the Salvation Army is a home for people who just need somewhere to go, a listening ear, and an opportunity to do something to be of assistance in your community.”
The Christmas Kettle Campaign is one of the ways the Salvation Army raises the funds to meet
these year round needs.
At their campaign kickoff event on November 23 they announced a 2019 fund-raising goal of $260,000
Five kettles are operational across Swift Current (the Miracle Room in the Swift Current Mall, Walmart, Pioneer Co-op, Pharmasave, and SLGA Liquor Store. There are five shifts at each kettle daily, so they need 25 volunteers each day of the campaign, filling shifts of 10 a.m. to noon, noon to 2 p.m., 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and a wrap up shift from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
And while some groups and organization take all the shifts for one day at a certain location, there is need for additional shifts on a daily basis. Individuals wishing to volunteers can contact Kettle Campaign coordinator Arlene Mckenzie at 306741-9519, or to volunteer at the Salvation Army sorting groceries or assisting with other tasks at 306-778-0515.
“We’ll know in the next couple of days what kinds of things very specifically that we are going to be short of for the food hampers and on the shelves of the Food Band. And so we’ll be able to be able to help you out and let you know what kind of things we’re needing.”