Demand doubles but shelves bare at food bank in Gander
The shelves at the Salvation Army Food Bank in Gander are the emptiest they've been in 15 years, according to family services coordinator Wanda Loder.
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Loder said they may soon reach a point where the food bank has to turn families away.
"Our numbers at this food bank have increased greatly," said Loder. "(Numbers) are almost double since last year."
Wanda Loder of Salvation Army's Family Services talks abt the need for donations at the food bank this summer <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbcnl?src=hash">#cbcnl</a> <a href="https://t.co/vdy6tEXxmK">pic.twitter.com/vdy6tEXxmK</a>
—@centralmorningLoder said the food bank serves families from Appleton to Gander Bay to Hare Bay.
A delivery of food from the Community Food Sharing Association in St. John's arrived on Tuesday.
"They sent us a skid. It'll probably last a couple of days and we'll be back to nothing again," she said.
Loder said the next delivery won't arrive until the first week of July and worries they may have to turn families away.
"That is our greatest worry, our challenge. We don't want to turn anyone away but if our shelves are empty, what can we do?"
Need variety 'to make a meal'
The food bank is well stocked with cereal and soup, but Loder says the organization needs donations that help make dinner.
"We need juice, tin milk, Kraft Dinner, spaghetti, beans — anything that would make a meal," said Loder.
Loder said the shelves are the emptiest she's seen since she started working with the Salvation Army.
"Right now we're asking the help of the community if they would so kindly find it in their hearts to drop off (donations)," said Loder. "Anything that would help the needy in our community, a community that's relying on this food bank right now."