Finally on their own as an independent charitable group in town, the Cochrane Food Bank looks back on their year, while sharing their thoughts on serving the community during a very turbulent holiday season.
Cochrane Food Bank President Brenda Mottle explained that their group works with the Cochrane Activettes’ "Share Your Christmas" program, where they handle the food angle for families in town.
“Last year, we served I think it was 406 or 407 families,” Mottle said. “We’re still taking names because ‘give out’ for us is not until Dec. 21, so people can still apply. We’re already close to 400 families already, and we’re still taking names.”
The Food Bank is halfway through their current fiscal year. Looking back on 2023 to 2024, she notes that there has been a 6.5 per cent increase in the number of food hampers that went out over the previous year.
“That amounted to 9,604 boxes of food, but we not only saw an increase in the number of hampers going out, we saw an increase in the number of people that we served,” Mottle explained. “So, there was a 58 per cent increase in the number of adults, and a 42 per cent increase in the number of children.”
Although she cannot give figures for their current fiscal year, Mottle said there has been a 10 per cent month-over-month increase.
“So those hamper numbers are only going up,” Mottle said.
The Cochrane Food Bank also runs a school program that provides non-perishable food to 18 schools in Cochrane. Looking at their numbers, Mottle said that there has been a 32 per cent total increase in the number of food boxes provided to schools over the previous year.
“Things like microwaveable Kraft Dinners, tuna and crackers, or things like that,” Mottle said. “They also get gift cards for things like fruits and vegetables since we can’t stockpile them. So, they can buy them as they need it, and that serves the kids throughout the school week.”
Another program for Cochrane students is their Weekend Brown Bag Program.
“That serves the kids who wouldn’t have any food, lunch or otherwise, maybe on Saturday and Sunday,” Mottle explained. “They get sent home with a bag of food on Friday to last them through the weekend.”
Last year alone, Mottle said the number of weekend lunch bags from the program increased by 60 per cent.
The Cochrane Food Bank also provides Rocky View Schools with funding for their breakfast program. Although she cannot disclose the exact amount, Mottle outlines that it is a substantial amount to the program.
“It’s so the kids at certain schools are provided with a nutritious breakfast,” she said. “Because we all know that if kids are hungry, they won’t learn very well.”
With their major fundraising pushes taking place during November and December, Mottle said the Food Bank has seen a substantial decrease in the amount of food and monetary donations. With the added pressures of the ongoing postal worker strike, this is all working greatly against their favour to serve the community.
“We’re really down on donations, and I don’t know what that’s going to looks like because we base what we can do, […] what programs we can support, how big the hampers are, what we can give out based on the food we get, the money we get, and we can’t give out what we don’t have,” she said.
For the Christmas season, special Christmas Hampers will be provided to families which provides three separate meals for the entire family on Christmas Day. This work is done in coordination with the Cochrane Activettes, and each family can have their hamper adjusted to their own specific dietary restrictions.
With the mission to meet the needs of the food insecure in Cochrane, Mottle said their numbers are only going up. With Cochrane’s population growing by an average of five per cent every year, there are several factors that lead to people needing their support.
“And I think that with the whole economic situation as it is, people who were on the edge before are over the edge now,” she said. “They can’t afford to feed their kids or their family, [and] it shouldn’t be a decision of ‘can I pay the rent or feed the kids.’”
For anyone looking to make a donation to the Cochrane Food Bank, Mottle said they are graciously being accepted at 30 Griffin Industrial Point, Bay 4 and 6.
“We’re working until Dec. 20, office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday,” she said. “Someone’s always here.”
