It’s been an interesting yearfor local non-profits and Deputy Director for Red Deer’s Food Bank, Alice Kolisnyk is prepared for another uncertain year ahead. Thankfully, Kolisnyk says the community has been very generous to the food bank throughout the pandemic and the holidays.

“We saw tremendous help from the community over the holidays. The Red Deer and Area has always stepped up to the plate and this year was no different. We're sitting in a good place. Our cupboards are good and full so and come January and February when our donation curve declines it, this is a good place to be,” said Kolisnyk.

Over the course of the year, Kolisnyk says Central Albertans haven’t forgotten to support their local food banks.

“We have seen more donations than usual and that that's good because we can get we can keep those shelves stocked. It allowed us to keep feeding people we weren't. We didn't miss a beat. We were able to still give out our hampers as many as we were being asked for so that's good,” said Kolisnyk.

In 2020, the food bank fed 527 families. Typically, the food bank feeds over 600 families but Kolisnyk believes people may also be accessing other supports at this time.

“It could be a number of reasons. The government benefits could be affecting those numbers. Families could have access to other Christmas programs,” said Kolisnyk.

Any monetary excess will be saved for a later date when perhaps the food bank experiences more need than usual. Kolisnyk believes 2021 will be just as unpredictable as 2020 but she is confidant the Red Deer Food Bank and the local community will be able to weather the storm just fine.

“This is a completely different year and I'm not sure what our demand is going to be like with COVID being here. It's been a very interesting game of adaptability,” said Kolisnyk.

The Red Deer Food Bank continues to collect food bank items and have a special need for brown beans, pasta, rice, juice boxes, and school snacks.

For more information on the Red Deer Food Bank, you can click here.